i^Jffi*'.- 


^MOfPftJJf^ 


i'/ 


THE 


<^ 


SEP  PO  1931  "^ 


LIVES 


K 


:/i.s 


tVA\^ 


OF 


DONNE,  WOTTON,  HOOKER,  HERBERT, 
AND  SANDERSON. 


— ty 


\.y 


BY    IZAAK    WALTON. 


WITH  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR 
AND  HIS  WRITINGS. 

VOL.  n. 


BOSTON: 

II  I  L  L  I  A  R  D,    GRAY,    AND     COMPANY. 

CAMBRIDGE: 

BROWN,    SHATTUCK,    AND    CO. 


M  DCCC  XXXll. 


—  "Dr.  Johnson  talked  of  Izaak  Walton's  Lives, 
which  was  one  of  his  favorite  books." 

BOSWELL. 


\ 


THE    LIFE 


OF 


MR.  GEORGE  HERBERT. 


1 


TO  HIS  VERY  WORTHY  AND  MUCH  HONORED  FRIEND, 

MR.    IZAAK    WALTON, 

UPON  HIS  EXCELLENT  LIFE  OF 

MR.  GEORGE   HERBERT. 


I. 

Heaven's  youngest  son,  its  Benjamin^ 
Divinity's  next  brother,  sacred  Poesy, 
No  longer  shall  a  virgin  reckoned  be 
(Whate'er  with  others  't  is)  by  me,       \ 

A  female  muse,  as  were  the  Nine  ; 

But  (full  of  vigor  masculine) 
An  essence  male,  with  angels  his  companions,  shine. 
With  angels  first  the  heavenly  youth  was  bred. 
And,  when  a  child,  instructed  them  to  sing 
The  praises  of  th'  Immortal  King 

Who  Lucifer  in  triumph  led  : 
For,  as  in  chains  the  monster  sank  to  hell, 
And  tumbling  headlong  down  the  precipice  fell 
By  him  first   taught,   "  How  art  thou  fallen,  thou 

morning  star  ?  "  they  said, 
Vol.  II.  9 


130  VERSES  TO 

Too  fondly  then,  we  have  fancied  him  a  maid  : 

We,  the  vain  brethren  of  the  rhyming  trade  ; 

A  female  angel  less  would  Urbin's*  skill  upbraid. 

11. 

Thus  't  was  in  heaven  :  this,  Poesy's  sex  and  age  ; 

And,  when  he  thence  to  our  lower  world  came 
down. 
He  chose  a  form  more  like  his  own. 

And  Jesse's  youngest  son  inspired  with  holy  rage  ; 

The  sprightly  shepherd  felt  unusual  fire, 
And  up  he  took  his  tuneful  lyre  ; 

He  took  it  up,  and  struck 't,  and  his  own  soft  touches 
did  admire. 
Thou,  Poesy,  on  him  didst  bestow 

Thy  choicest  gift,  an  honor  showed  before  to  none  ; 

And  to  prepare  his  way  to  th'  Hebrew  throne, 

Gav'st  him  tiiy  empire  and  dominion  ; 
The  happy  land  of  verse,  where  flow 

Rivers  of  milk,  and  woods  of  laurel  grow  ; 
Wherewith  thou  didst  adorn  his  brow, 

And  mad'st  his  first,  more  flourisliing,  and  triumph- 
ant crown. 

Assist  me  thy  great  prophet's  praise  to  sing, 

David,  the  poet's  and  blessed  Israel's  king  : 

And  with   the   dancing   echo,   let   the   mountains 
ring:  ! 

Then,  on  the  wings  of  some  auspicious  wind, 

Let  his  great  name  from  earth  be  raised  on  high, 

And  in  the  starry  volume  of  the  sky 

'  Raphael  Urbin,  the  famous  painter. 


MR.  IZAAK  WALTON.  131 

A  lasting  record  find  : 
Be  with  his  mighty  psaltery  joined  ; 
Which,  taken  long  since  up  into  the  air, 
And  called  the  Harp,  makes  a  bright  constellation 
there. 

III. 

Worthy  it  was  to  be  translated  hence, 
And  there,  in  view  of  all,  exalted  hang  : 
To  which  so  oft  the  princely  prophet  sang, 

And  mystic  oracles  did  dispense. 

Though,  had  it  still  remained  below, 

More  wonders  of  it  we  had  seen, 
How  great  the  mighty  Herbert's  skill  had  been  : 
Herbert,  who  could  so  much  without  it  do  ; 
Herbert,  who  did  its  chords  distinctly  know  ; 
More  perfectly  than  any  child  of  verse  below. 

O  !  had  we  known  him  half  so  well ! 
But  then,  my  friend,  there  had  been  left  for  you 
Nothing  so  fair,  and  worthy  praise  to  do ; 
Who  so  exactly  all  his  story  tell. 

That,  though  he  did  not  want  his  bays. 

Nor  all  the  monuments  virtue  can  raise, 
Your  hand  he  did,  to  eternize  his  praise. 

Herbert  and  Donne  again  are  joined. 

Now  here  below,  as  they  're  above  ; 
These  friends  are  in  their  old  embraces  twined; 
And  since  by  you  the  interview  's  designed. 

Too  weak  to  part  them  death  does  prove  ; 
For  in  this  book  they  meet  again,  as  in  one  heaven 
they  love. 

SAM.  WOODFORDE,  D.  D. 
Benstead,  April  3. 


132  VERSES  TO 


IN    VITAM 


GEORGII   HERBERTI, 


AB 


ISAACO    WALTONO   SCRIPTAM 


O  QUAM  erubesco  cum  tuam  vitam  lego, 
Herberte  sancte,  quamque  me  pudet  mese  ? 
Ego  talpa  csecus  hie  humi  fodiens  miser, 
Aquila  volatu  tu  petens  nubes  tuo  ; 
Ego  Choicum  vas  terreas  faeces  olens, 
Tu  (sola  namque  Urania  tibi  ex  Musis  placet) 
Nil  tale  spiras  ;  sed  sapis  coelum  et  Deum, 
Omnique  vitse,  libri  et  omni,  linea  ; 
Templumque  tecum  ubique  circumfers  tuum: 
Domi-porta  cooli,  cui  domus  propria,  optima: 
Ubi  Rex,  ibi  Roma,  Imperii  sedes  ;  ubi 
Tu,  sancte  vates,  templum  ibi,  et  caelum,  et  Deus. 
Tu  quale  nobis  intuendum  clcricis 
Speculum  sacerdotale,  tu  qualem  piis 
Pastoris  ideam  et  libro  et  vita  tua, 
Tu  quale  sanctitatis  elementis  bonse, 
Morumque  nobis  tradis  exemplum  ac  typum  I 
Typum,*  Magistro  ncmpe  proximum  tuo. 
Exemplar  illud  grande  qui  solus  fuit. 
Canonizct  ergo  quos  velit  Dominus  Papa; 

*  Sic  Christum  solens  vocavit  quoties  ejus  nientionem 
fecit. 


MR.  IZAAK  WALTON.  133 

Sibique  sanctos,  quos  facit,  servet  suos 
Colatque  ;  sancte  Herberte,  tu  Sanctus  meus  ; 
"  Oraque  pro  me,"  dicerem,  si  fas,  tibi. 
Sed  hos  honores  par  nee  est  Sanctis  dari ; 
Velis  nee  ipse  ;  recolo  te,  sed  non  colo. 
Talis  legenda  est  vita  Sancti,  concio 
Ad  promovendum  quam  potens  et  efficax  ! 
Per  talia  exempla  est  breve  ad  coelos  iter. 
Waltone,  macte,  perge  vitas  scribere, 
Et  penicillo,  quo  vales,  insigni  adhuc 
Sanctorum  imagines  coloribus  suis 
Plures  reprsesentare  ;  quod  tu  dum  facis, 
Vitamque  et  illis  et  tibi  das  posthumam, 
Lectoris  seternseque  vitse  consulis. 
Urge  ergo  pensum  ;  et  interim  scias  velim, 
Plutarchus  alter  sis  licet  Biographus, 
Herberto,  amice,  vix  Parallelum  dabis. 
Liceat  libro  addere  banc  coronidem  tuo ; 
Vir,  an  Poeta,  Orator  an  melior  fuit, 
Meliorne  amicus,  sponsus,  an  pastor  gregis, 
Herbertus,  incertum  ;  et  quis  hoc  facile  sciat, 
Melior  ubi  ille,  qui  fuit  ubique  optiraus  ? 

JACOB.  DUPORT,  S.  T.  P. 

Decanus  Petr. 


THE    INTRODUCTION 


In  a  late  retreat  from  the  business  of  this  world, 
and  those  many  little  cares  with  which  I  have 
too  often  cumbered  myself,  I  fell  into  a  contem- 
plation of  some  of  those  historical  passages  that 
are  recorded  in  sacred  story,  and  more  particular- 
ly of  what  had  passed  betwixt  our  Blessed  Saviour, 
and  that  wonder  of  women,  and  sinners,  and 
mourners.  Saint  Mary  Magdalen.  I  call  her 
Saint,  because  I  did  not  then,  nor  do  now  consid- 
er her,  as  when  she  was  possessed  with  seven 
devils  ;  not  as  when  her  wanton  eyes  and  dishev- 
elled hair  were  designed  and  managed  to  charm 
and  insnare  amorous  beholders  :  but,  I  did  then, 
and  do  now  consider  her,  as  after  she  had  express- 
ed a  visible  and  sacred  sorrow  for  her  sensualities ; 
as  after  those  eyes  had  wept  such  a  flood  of  peni- 
tential tears  as  did  wash,  and  that  hair  had  wiped, 
and  she  most  passionately  kissed  the  feet  of  hers 
and  our  blessed  Jesus.     And  I  do  now  consider, 


136  THE  INTRODUCTION. 

that  because  she  loved  much,  not  only  much  was 
forgiven  her ;  but  that,  beside  that  blessed  bless- 
ing of  having  her  sins  pardoned,  and  the  joy  of 
knowing  her  happy  condition,  she  also  had  from 
him  a  testimony,  that  her  alabaster  box  of  pre- 
cious ointment  poured  on  his  head  and  feet,  and 
that  spikenard,  and  those  spices  that  were  by  her 
dedicated  to  embalm  and  preserve  his  sacred  body 
from  putrefaction,  should  so  far  preserve  her  own 
memory,  that  these  demonstrations  of  her  sancti- 
fied love,  and  of  her  officious  and  generous  grati- 
tude, should  be  recorded  and  mentioned  whereso- 
ever his  gospel  should  be  read ;  intending  there- 
by, that,  as  his,  so  her  name  should  also  live  to 
succeeding  generations,  even  till  time  itself  shall 
be  no  more. 

Upon  occasion  of  which  fair  example,  I  did 
lately  look  back,  and  not  without  some  content 
(at  least  to  myself )  that  I  have  endeavoured  to 
deserve  the  love,  and  preserve  the  memory  of  my 
two  deceased  friends,  Dr.  Donne  and  Sir  Henry 
Wotton,  by  declaring  the  several  employments  and 
various  accidents  of  their  lives  :  and  though  Mr. 
George  Herbert  (whose  Life  I  now  intend  to 
write)  were  to  mc  a  stranger  as  to  his  person, 
for  I  have  only  seen  him ;  yet  since  he  was,  and 
was  worthy  to  be,  their  friend,  and  very  many  of 
his  have  been  mine,  I  judge  it  may  not  be  unac- 
ceptable to  those  that  knew  any  of  them  in  their 


THE  INTRODUCTION.  137 

lives,  or  do  now  know  them  by  mine  or  their  own 
writings,  to  see  this  conjunction  of  them  after 
their  deaths,  without  which  many  things  that 
concerned  them,  and  some  things  that  concerned 
the  age  in  which  they  lived,  would  be  less  perfect, 
and  lost  to  posterity. 

For  these  reasons  I  have  undertaken  it ;  and  if 
I  have  prevented  any  abler  person,  I  beg  pardon 
of  him  and  my  reader. 


THE    LIFE 
or 

MR.    GEORGE  HERBERT. 


George  Herbert  was  born  the  third  day  of 
April,  in  the  year  of  our  redemption  1593.  The 
place  of  his  birth  was  near  to  the  town  of  Mont- 
gomery, and  in  that  castle  that  did  then  bear  the 
name  of  that  town  and  county.  That  castle  was 
then  a  place  of  state  and  strength,  and  had  been 
successively  happy  in  the  family  of  the  Herberts, 
who  had  long  possessed  it,  and,  with  it,  a  plenti- 
ful estate,  and  hearts  as  liberal  to  their  poor  neigh- 
bours ;  a  family,  that  hath  been  blessed  with  men 
of  remarkable  wisdom,  and  a  willingness  to  serve 
their  country,  and,  indeed,  to  do  good  to  all  man- 
kind ;  for  which  they  are  eminent.  But  alas  ! 
this  family  did  in  the  late  rebellion  suffer  extreme- 
ly in  their  estates ;  and  the  heirs  of  that  castle 
saw  it  laid  level  with  that  earth  that  was  too  good 
to  bury  those  wretches  that  were  the  cause  of  it. 


140  THE  LIFE  OF 

The  father  of  our  George  was  Richard  Her- 
bert, the  son  of  Edward  Herbert,  Knight,  the  son 
of  Richard  Herbert,  Knight,  the  son  of  the  fa- 
mous Sir  Richard  Herbert  of  Colebrook,  in  the 
county  of  Monmouth,  Banneret,  wlio  was  the 
youngest  brother  of  that  memorable  WiUiam  Her- 
bert, Earl  of  Pembroke,  that  lived  in  the  reign  of 
our  King  Edward  the  Fourth. 

His  mother  was  Magdalen  Newport,  the  young- 
est daughter  of  Sir  Richard,  and  sister  to  Sir 
Francis  Newport,  of  High  Arkall,  in  the  county 
of  Salop,  Knight,  and  grandfather  of  Francis  Lord 
Newport,  now  Comptroller  of  his  Majesty's  House- 
hold ;  a  family  that  for  their  loyalty  have  suffer- 
ed much  in  their  estates,  and  seen  the  ruin  of  that 
excellent  structure,  where  their  ancestors  have 
long  lived,  and  been  memorable  for  their  hospi- 
tality. 

This  mother  of  George  Herbert  (of  whose  per- 
son, and  wisdom,  and  virtue,  I  intend  to  give  a 
true  account  in  a  seasonable  place)  was  the  hap- 
py mother  of  seven  sons,  and  three  daughters, 
which,  she  would  often  say,  was  Job's  number, 
and  Job's  distribution  ;  and  as  often  bless  God, 
that  they  were  neither  defective  in  their  shapes  or 
in  their  reason  ;  and  very  often  r(^j)rove  them  that 
did  not  praise  God  for  so  great  a  blessing.  I 
shall  give  the  reader  a  short  account  of  their 
names,  and  not  say  much  of  their  fortunes. 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  141 

Edward,  the  eldest,  was  first  made  Knight  of 
the  Bath,  at  that  glorious  time  of  our  late  Prince 
Henry's  being  installed  Knight  of  the  Garter ;  and 
after  many  years'  useful  travel,  and  the  attain- 
ment of  many  languages,  he  was  hy  king  James 
sent  ambassador  resident  to  the  then  French  king, 
Lewis  the  Thirteenth.  There  he  continued 
about  two  years  ;  but  he  could  not  subject  him- 
self to  a  compliance  with  the  humors  of  the  Duke 
de  Luines,  who  was  then  the  great  and  powerful 
favorite  at  court  ;  so  that,  upon  a  complaint  to  our 
king,  he  was  called  back  into  England  in  some 
displeasure ;  but  at  his  return  he  gave  such  an 
honorable  account  of  his  employment,  and  so  jus- 
tified his  comportment  to  the  duke  and  all  the 
court,  that  he  was  suddenly  sent  back  upon  the 
same  embassy,  from  which  he  returned  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  reign  of  our  good  King  Charles 
the  First,  who  made  him  first  Baron  of  Castle- 
Island,  and  not  long  after  of  Cherbury,  in  the 
county  of  Salop.  He  was  a  man  of  great  learning 
and  reason,  as  appears  by  his  printed  book  "  De 
Veritate,"  and  by  his  "  History  of  the  Reign  of 
King  Henry  the  Eighth,"  and  by  several  other 
tracts. 

The  second  and  third  brothers  were  Richard 
and  William,  who  ventured  their  lives  to  purchase 
honor  in  the  wars  of  the  Low  Countries,  and 
died  officers  in  that  employment.      Charles  was 


142  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  fourth,  and  died  fellow  of  New  College  in 
Oxford.  Henry  was  the  sixth,  who  became  a 
menial  servant  to  the  Crown  in  the  days  of  King 
James,  and  hath  continued  to  be  so  for  fifty  years; 
during  all  which  time  he  hath  been  Master  of  the 
Revels ;  a  place  that  requires  a  diligent  wisdom, 
with  which  God  hath  blessed  him.  The  seventh 
son  was  Thomas,  who,  being  made  captain  of  a 
ship  in  that  fleet  with  which  Sir  Robert  Mansell 
was  sent  against  Algiers,  did  there  show  a  fortu- 
nate and  true  English  valor.  Of  the  three  sisters 
I  need  not  say  more,  than  that  they  were  all  mar- 
ried to  persons  of  worth  and  plentiful  fortunes  ; 
and  lived  to  be  examples  of  virtue,  and  to  do  good 
in  their  orenerations. 

I  now  come  to  give  my   intended  account  of 
George,  who  was  the  fifth  of  those  seven  brothers. 

George  Herbert  spent  much  of  his  childhood  in 
a  sweet  content  under  the  eye  and  care  of  his  pru- 
dent mother,  and  the  tuition  of  a  chaplain  or  tutor 
to  him  and  two  of  his  brothers,  in  her  own  family 
(for  she  was  then  a  widow),  where  he  continued  till 
about  tlie  age  of  twelve  years  ;  and  being  at  that 
time  well  instructed  in  the  rules  of  grammar,  he 
was  not  long  after  commended  to  the  care  of  Dr. 
Neale,  who  was  then  Dean  of  Westminster,  and 
by  him  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Ireland,  wlio  was  tlien 
chief  master  of  tliat  school  ;  where  the  beauties 
of  his  pretty  behaviour  and  wit  shined  and  became 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  143 

SO  eminent  and  lovely  in  this  his  innocent  age, 
that  he  seemed  to  be  marked  out  for  piety,  and  to 
become  the  care  of  Heaven,  and  of  a  particular 
good  angel  to  guard  and  guide  him.  And  thus  he 
continued  in  that  school,  till  he  came  to  be  perfect 
in  the  learned  languages,  and  especially  in  the 
Greek  tongue,  in  which  he  after  proved  an  excel- 
lent critic. 

About  the  age  of  fifteen  (he  being  then  a  king's 
scholar)  he  was  elected  out  of  that  school  for 
Trinity  College  in  Cambridge,  to  which  place  he 
was  transplanted  about  the  year  1608  ;  and  his 
prudent  mother,  well  knowing  that  he  might  easily 
lose  or  lessen  that  virtue  and  innocence,  which 
her  advice  and  example  had  planted  in  his  mind, 
did  therefore  procure  the  generous  and  liberal  Dr. 
Nevil,  who  was  then  Dean  of  Canterbury,  and 
Master  of  that  College,  to  take  him  into  his  par- 
ticular care,  and  provide  him  a  tutor  ;  which  he 
did  most  gladly  undertake  ;  for  he  knew  the  ex- 
cellences of  his  mother,  and  how  to  value  such  a 
friendship. 

This  was  the  method  of  his  education,  till  he 
was  settled  in  Cambridge,  where  we  will  leave 
him  in  his  study,  till  I  have  paid  my  promised  ac- 
count of  his  excellent  mother,  and  I  will  endeav- 
our to  make  it  short. 

I  have  told  her  birth,  her  marriage,  and  the 
number   of  her  children,  and  have  given  some 


144  THE  LIFE   OF 

short  account  of  them  ;  I  shall  next  tell  the  read- 
er, that  her  husband  died  when  our  George  was 
about  the  age  of  four  years :  I  am  next  to  tell 
that  she  continued  twelve  years  a  widow ;  that 
she  then  married  happily  to  a  noble  gentleman, 
the  brother  and  heir  of  the  Lord  Danvers,  Earl 
of  Danby,  who  did  highly  value  both  her  person 
and  the  most  excellent  endowments  of  her  mind. 
In  this  time  of  her  widowhood,  she  being  desir- 
ous to  give  Edward,  her  eldest  son,  such  advan- 
tages of  learning  and  other  education  as  might 
suit  his  birth  and  fortune,  and  thereby  make  him 
the  more  fit  for  the  service  of  his  country,  did  at 
his  being  of  a  fit  age  remove  from  Montgomery 
Castle  with  him,  and  some  of  her  younger  sons,  to 
Oxford  ;  and  having  entered  Edward  into  Queen's 
College,  and  provided  him  a  fit  tutor,  she  com- 
mended him  to  his  care ;  yet  she  continued  there 
with  him,  and  still  kept  him  in  a  moderate  awe  of 
herself,  and  so  much  under  her  own  eye,  as  to  see 
and  converse  with  him  daily  :  but  she  managed 
this  power  over  him  without  any  such  rigid  sour- 
ness, as  might  make  her  company  a  torment  to  her 
child,  but  with  such  a  sweetness  and  compliance 
with  the  recreations  and  pleasures  of  youth,  as 
did  incline  him  willingly  to  spend  much  of  his 
time  in  the  coin])any  of  his  dear  and  careful  moth- 
er ;  which  was  to  her  great  content :  for  she  would 
often  say,  "  that,  as  our   bodies  take   a  nourish' 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  145 

ment  suitable  to  the  meat  on  which  we  feed,  so 
our  souls  do  as  insensibly  take  in  vice  by  the  ex- 
ample or  conversation  with  wicked  company :  " 
and  would  therefore  as  often  say,  "  that  igno- 
rance of  vice  was  the  best  preservation  of  virtue  ; 
and  that  the  very  knowledge  of  wickedness  was 
as  tinder  to  inflame  and  kindle  sin,  and  to  keep 
it  burning."  For  these  reasons  she  endeared  him 
to  her  own  company,  and  continued  with  him  in 
Oxford  four  years  ;  in  which  time  her  great  and 
harmless  wit,  her  cheerful  gravity,  and  her  oblig- 
ing behaviour,  gained  her  an  acquaintance  and 
friendship  with  most  of  any  eminent  worth  or 
learning  that  were  at  that  time  in  or  near  that  uni- 
versity ;  and  particularly  with  Mr.  John  Donne, 
who  then  came  accidentally  to  that  place  in  this 
time  of  her  being  there.  It  was  that  John  Donne 
who  was  after  Dr.  Donne,  and  Dean  of  St.  Paul's, 
London  ;  and  he,  at  his  leaving  Oxford,  writ  and 
left  there,  in  verse,  a  character  of  the  beauties  of 
her  body  and  mind.    Of  the  first  he  says, 

"No  spring  nor  summer  beauty  hath  such  grace, 
As  I  have  seen  in  an  autumnal  face." 

Of  the  latter  he  says, 

"  In  all  her  words  to  every  hearer  fit, 
You  may  at  revels,  or  at  council  sit." 

Vol.  II.  10 


146  THE    LIFE  OF 

The  rest  of  her  character  may  be  read  in  his 
printed  poems,  in  that  elegy  wliich  bears  the  name 
of  "  The  Autumnal  Beauty."  For  both  he  and 
she  were  then  past  the  meridian  of  man's  life. 

This  amity,  begun  at  this  time  and  place,  was 
not  an  amity  that  polluted  their  souls  ;  but  an 
amity  made  up  of  a  chain  of  suitable  inclinations 
and  virtues ;  an  amity  like  that  of  St.  Chrysos- 
tom's  to  his  dear  and  virtuous  Olympias,  whom, 
in  his  letters,  he  calls  his  Saint ;  or  an  amity,  in- 
deed, more  like  that  of  St.  Hierom  to  his  Paula, 
whose  affection  to  her  was  such,  that  he  turned 
poet  in  his  old  age,  and  then  made  her  epitaph ; 
wishing  all  his  body  were  turned  into  tongues^ 
that  he  might  declare  her  just  praises  to  posterity. 
And  this  amity  betwixt  her  and  Mr.  Donne  was 
begun  in  a  happy  time  for  him,  he  being  then 
near  to  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age  (which  was 
some  years  before  he  entered  into  sacred  orders) ; 
a  time  when  his  necessities  needed  a  daily  sup- 
ply for  the  support  of  his  wife,  seven  children^ 
and  a  family.  And  in  this  time  she  proved  one 
of  his  most  bountiful  benefactors ;  and  he  as 
grateful  an  acknowledger  of  it.  You  may  take 
one  testimony  for  what  I  have  said  of  these  two 
worthy  persons,  from  this  following  letter  and  son- 
net. 


george  herbert.  147 

"  Madam, 


'J 


"  Your  favors  to  me  are  every  where ;  I  use 
them,  and  have  them.  I  enjoy  them  at  London, 
and  leave  them  there ;  and  yet  find  them  at  Mi- 
cham.  Such  riddles  as  these  become  things  in- 
expressible ;  and  such  is  your  goodness.  I  was 
almost  sorry  to  find  your  servant  here  this  day, 
because  I  was  loth  to  have  any  witness  of  my  not 
coming  home  last  night,  and  indeed  of  my  com- 
ing this  morning.  But  my  not  coming  was  ex- 
cusable, because  earnest  business  detained  me ; 
and  my  coming  this  day  is  by  the  example  of  your 
St.  Mary  Magdalen,  who  rose  early  upon  Sunday, 
to  seek  that  which  she  loved  most ;  and  so  did  I. 
And,  from  her  and  myself,  I  return  such  thanks 
as  are  due  to  one  to  whom  we  owe  all  the  good 
opinion,  that  they  whom  we  need  most  have  of 
us.  By  this  messenger,  and  on  this  good  day,  I 
commit  the  inclosed  holy  hymns  and  sonnets 
(which  for  the  matter,  not  the  workmanship,  have 
yet  escaped  the  fire)  to  your  judgment,  and  to 
your  protection  too,  if  you  think  them  worthy  of 
it ;  and  I  have  appointed  this  inclosed  sonnet  to 
usher  them  to  your  happy  hand. 
"Your  un worthiest  servant, 

"  Unless  your  accepting  him  to  be  so 
"  Have  mended  him, 

<'MicHAM,  July  11,  1607.      JO.  DONNE." 


148  THE  LIFE  OF 


(( 


TO  THE  LADY  MAGDALEN  HERBERT  J  OF  ST.  MARY 

MAGDALEN. 

"  Her  of  your  name,  whose  fair  inheritance 

Bethina  was,  and  jointure  Magdalo ; 
An  active  faith  so  highly  did  advance, 

That  she  once  knew  more  than  the  Church  did 
know. 
The  resurrection  ;  so  much  good  there  is 

Delivered  of  her,  that  some  Fathers  be 
Loth  to  believe  one  woman  could  do  this, 

But  think  these  Magdalens  were  two  or  three. 
Increase  tlieir  number,  Lady,  and  their  fame ; 

To  their  devotion,  add  your  innocence  ! 
Take  so  much  of  th'  example  as  of  the  name  ; 

The  latter  half;  and  in  some  recompense 
That  they  did  harbour  Christ  himself  a  guest. 
Harbour  these  hymns,  to  his  dear  name  addrest. 

J.  D.» 

These  hymns  are  now  lost  to  us  ;  but  doubt- 
less they  were  such,  as  they  two  now  sing  in 
heaven. 

There  might  be  more  demonstrations  of  the 
friendship  and  the  many  sacred  endearments  be- 
twixt these  two  excellent  persons  (for  1  have 
many  of  their  letters  in  my  hand),  and  nuich  more 
might  be  said  of  her  great  prudence  and  piety  ; 
but  my  design  was  not  to  write  hers,  but  the  life 
of  her  son  ;  and  therefore  I  shall  only  tell  my 
reader,  that  about  that  very  day  twenty  years  that 
this  letter   was  dated,  and   sent   her,  I   saw  and 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  149 

heard  this  Mr.  John  Donne  (who  was  then  Dean 
of  St.  Paul's)  weep,  and  preach  her  funeral  ser- 
mon, in  the  parish  church  of  Chelsea,  near  Lon- 
don, where  she  now  rests  in  her  quiet  grave  ; 
and  where  we  must  now  leave  her,  and  return  to 
her  son  George,  whom  we  left  in  his  study  in 
Cambridge. 

And  in  Cambridge  we  may  find  our  George 
Herbert's  behaviour  to  be  such,  that  we  may  con- 
clude, he  consecrated  the  first-fruits  of  his  early 
age  to  virtue,  and  a  serious  study  of  learning.  And 
that  he  did  so,  this  following  letter  and  sonnet, 
which  were  in  the  first  year  of  his  going  to  Cam- 
bridge sent  his  dear  mother  for  a  new-year's  gift, 
may  appear  to  be  some  testimony. 

"  But  I  fear  the  heat  of  my  late  ague  hath 


dried  up  those  springs,  by  which  scholars  say  the 
Muses  used  to  take  up  their  habitations.  However 
I  need  not  their  help,  to  reprove  the  vanity  of 
those  many  love-poems  that  are  daily  writ  and 
consecrated  to  Venus ;  nor  to  bewail  that  so  few 
are  writ,  that  look  towards  God  and  heaven.  For 
my  own  part,  my  meaning  (dear  mother)  is  in 
these  sonnets,  to  declare  my  resolution  to  be,  that 
my  poor  abilities  in  poetry  shall  be  all  and  ever 
consecrated  to  God's  glory  ;  and  I  beg  you  to  re- 
ceive this  as  one  testimony." 


150  THE  LIFE  OF 

"  My  God,  where  is  that  ancient  heat  towards  thee, 

Wherewith  whole  shoals  of  martyrs  once  did  burn, 
Besides  their  other  flames  ?     Doth  poetry 

Wear  Venus'  livery  ?    only  serve  her  turn? 
Why  are  not  sonnets  made  of  thee  ?     and  lays 

Upon  thine  altar  burnt  ?     Cannot  thy  love 
Heighten  a  spirit  to  sound  out  thy  praise 

As  well  as  any  she  ?     Cannot  tliy  dove 
Outstrip  their  Cupid  easily  in  flight? 

Or,  since  thy  ways  are  deep,  and  still  the  same, 

Will  not  a  verse  run  smooth  that  bears  thy  name  ! 
Why    doth    that    fire,   which    by    thy  power   and 
might 

Each  breast  does  feel,  no  braver  fuel  choose 

Than  that,  which  one  day  worms  may  chance  re- 
fuse ? 
Sure,  Lord,  there  is  enough  in  thee  to  dry 

Oceans  of  ink  ;  for,  as  the  deluge  did 
Cover  the  earth,  so  doth  thy  majesty  : 

Each  cloud  distils  thy  praise,  and  doth  forbid 
Poets  to  turn  it  to  another  use. 

Roses  and  lilies  speak  thee  ;  and  to  make 
A  pair  of  cheeks  of  them  is  thy  abuse. 

Why  should  I  women's  eyes  for  crystal  take  ? 
Such  poor  invention  burns  in  their  low  mind 

Whose  fire  is  wild,  and  dotli  not  upward  go 

To  praise  and  on  thee,  Lord,  some  ink  bestow. 
Open  the  bones,  and  you  shall  nothing  find 

In  the  best  face  but  filth  ;  when.  Lord,  in  tliee 

The  beauty  lies,  in  tlie  discovery. 

G.  H." 


^  GEORGE   HERBERT.  151 

This  was  his  resolution  at  the  sending  this  let- 
ter to  his  dear  mother  ;  about  which  time,  he  was 
in  the  seventeenth  year  of  his  age ;  and  as  he 
grew  older,  so  he  grew  in  learning,  and  more  and 
more  in  favor  both  with  God  and  man  ;  insomuch, 
that  in  this  morning  of  that  short  day  of  his  life, 
he  seemed  to  be  marked  out  for  virtue,  and  to  be- 
come the  care  of  heaven  ;  for  God  still  kept  his 
soul  in  so  holy  a  frame,  that  he  may,  and  ought 
to  be  a  pattern  of  virtue  to  all  posterity,  and  espe- 
cially to  his  brethren  of  the  clergy,  of  which  the 
reader  may  expect  a  more  exact  account  in  what 
will  follow. 

I  need  not  declare  that  he  was  a  strict  student, 
because,  that  he  was  so,  there  will  be  many  testi- 
monies in  the  future  part  of  his  life.  I  shall  there- 
fore only  tell,  that  he  was  made  Bachelor  of  Arts  in 
the  year  1611 ;  Major  Fellow  of  the  College,  March 
15,  1615  :  and  that  in  that  year  he  was  also  made 
Master  of  Arts,  he  being  then  in  the  twenty-second 
year  of  his  age  ;  during  all  which  time,  all,  or  the 
greatest  diversion  from  his  study,  was  the  practice 
of  music,  in  which  he  became  a  great  master ; 
and  of  which  he  would  say,  "  that  it  did  relieve 
his  drooping  spirits,  compose  his  distracted 
thoughts,  and  raised  his  weary  soul  so  far  above 
the  earth,  that  it  gave  him  an  earnest  of  the  joys  of 
heaven  before  he  possessed  them."  And  it  may 
be  noted,  that  from  his  first  entrance  into  the  col- 


152  THE   LIFE   OF 

lege,  the  generous  Dr.  Nevil  was  a  cherisher  of 
his  studies,  and  such  a  lover  of  his  person,  his 
behaviour,  and  the  excellent  endowments  of  his 
mind,  that  he  took  him  often  into  his  own  compa- 
ny, by  which  he  confirmed  his  native  gentleness  ; 
and,  if  during  this  time  he  expressed  any  error,  it 
was  that  he  kept  himself  too  much  retired,  and  at 
too  great  a  distance  with  all  his  inferiors  ;  and  his 
clothes  seemed  to  prove,  that  he  put  too  great  a 
value  on  his  parts  and  parentage. 

This  may  be  some  account  of  his  disposition 
and  of  the  employment  of  his  time,  till  he  was 
Master  of  Arts,  which  was  Anno  1G15 ;  and  in 
the  year  1619  he  was  chosen  Orator  for  the  uni- 
versity. His  two  precedent  Orators  were  Sir  Rob- 
ert Nanton  and  Sir  Francis  Nethersole  :  the 
first  was  not  long  after  made  Secretary  of  State  ; 
and  Sir  Francis,  not  very  long  after  his  being 
Orator,  was  made  Secretary  to  the  Lady  Elizabeth, 
Queen  of  Bohemia.  In  this  place  of  Orator,  our 
George  Herbert  continued  eight  years,  and  man- 
aged it  with  as  becoming  and  grave  a  gayety  as 
any  had  ever  before  or  since  his  time.  For,  *'  he 
had  ac(iuired  great  learning,  and  was  blessed  with 
a  high  fancy,  a  civil  and  sharp  wit,  and  with  a 
natural  elegance,  both  in  his  behaviour,  liis 
tongue,  and  his  pen."  Of  all  wliich,  there  might 
be  very  many  particular  evidences,  but  I  will  limit 
myself  to  the  mention  of  but  three. 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  153 

And  the  first  notable  occasion  of  showing  his 
fitness  for  this  employment  of  Orator  was  mani- 
fested in  a  letter  to  King  James,  upon  the  occa- 
sion of  his  sending  that  university  his  book,  called 
"  Basilicon  Doron  "  ;  and  their  Orator  was  to  ac- 
knowledge this  great  honor,  and  return  their  grati- 
tude to  his  Majesty  for  such  a  condescension,  at 
the  close  of  which  letter  he  writ, 

"  Quid  Vaticanam  Bodleianamque  objicis.  hospes  ! 
Unicus  est  nobis  bibliotheca  liber." 

This  letter  was  writ  in  such  excellent  Latin, 
was  so  full  of  conceits,  and  all  the  expressions  so 
suited  to  the  genius  of  the  King,  that  he  inquired 
the  Orator's  name,  and  then  asked  William  Earl 
of  Pembroke,  if  he  knew  him  ;  whose  answer  was, 
"  that  he  knew  him  very  well,  and  that  he  was 
his  kinsman  ;  but  he  loved  him  more  for  his  learn- 
ing and  virtue,  than  for  that  he  was  of  his  name 
and  family."  At  which  answer,  the  King  smiled, 
and  asked  the  Earl  leave,  "  that  he  might  love 
him  too ;  for  he  took  him  to  be  the  jewel  of  that 
university." 

The  next  occasion  he  had  and  took  to  show  his 
great  abilities  was  with  them,  to  show  also  his 
great  affection  to  that  church  in  which  he  receiv- 
ed his  baptism,  and  of  which  he  professed  himself 
a  member  ;  and  the  occasion  was  this.  There 
was  one  Andrew  Melvin.  a  minister  of  the  Scotch 


154  THE  LIFE  OF 

Church,  and  rector  of  St.  Andrews,  who,  by  a  long 
and  constant  converse  with  a  discontented  part  of 
that  clergy  which  opposed  Episcopacy,  became  at 
last  to  be  a  chief  leader  of  that  faction  ;  and  had 
proudly  appeared  to  be  so  to  King  James,  when 
he  was  but  king  of  that  nation,  who  the  second 
year  after  his  coronation  in  England,  convened  a 
part  of  the  bishops  and  other  learned  divines  of 
his  church,  to  attend  him  at  Hampton  Court,  in 
order  to  a  friendly  conference  with  some  dissent- 
ing brethren,  both  of  this,  and  the  Church  of 
Scotland  :  of  which  Scotch  party,  Andrew  Mel- 
vin  was  one  ;  and  he  beincj  a  man  of  learninor, 
and  inclined  to  satirical  poetry,  had  scattered 
many  malicious  bitter  verses  against  our  liturgy, 
our  ceremonies,  and  our  church  government ; 
which  were  by  some  of  that  party  so  magnihed  for 
the  wit,  that  they  were  therefore  brought  into 
Westminster  School,  where  Mr.  George  Herbert 
then,  and  often  after,  made  such  answers  to  them, 
and  such  reflection  on  him  and  his  kirk,  as  might 
unbeguile  any  man  that  was  not  too  deeply  pre- 
engaged  in  such  a  (juarrel. 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  Melvin  at  Hampton  Court 
Conference,  he  there  aj)j)eared  to  be  a  man  of  an 
unruly  wit,  of  a  strange  confidence,  of  so  furious 
a  zeal,  and  of  so  ungoverned  passions,  that  his 
insolence  to  the  King,  and  others  at  this  confer- 
ence, lost  him  both  his  rectorship  of  St.  Andrews, 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  155 

and  his  liberty  too  :  for  his  former  verses,  and  his 
present  reproaches  there  used  against  the  church 
and  state,  caused  him  to  be  committed  prisoner  to 
the  Tower  of  London,  where  he  remained  very 
angry  for  three  years.  At  which  time  of  his  com- 
mitment, he  found  the  Lady  Arabella,  an  inno- 
cent prisoner,  there  ;  and  he  pleased  himself  much 
in  sending  the  next  day  after  his  commitment, 
these  two  verses  to  the  good  lady  ;  which  I  will 
underwrite,  because  they  may  give  the  reader 
a  taste  of  his  others,  which  were  like  these  : 

**  Causa  tibi  mecum  est  communis,  carceris,  Ara- 
Bella,  tibi  causa  est,  Araque  sacra  mihi." 

I  shall  not  trouble  my  reader  with  an  account 
of  his  enlargement  from  that  prison,  or  his  death; 
but  tell  him  Mr.  Herbert's  verses  were  thought  so 
worthy  to  be  preserved,  that  Dr.  Duport,  the 
learned  Dean  of  Peterborough,  hath  lately  col- 
lected and  caused  many  of  them  to  be  printed,  as 
an  honorable  memorial  of  his  friend  Mr.  George 
Herbert,  and  the  cause  he  undertook. 

And,  in  order  to  my  third  and  last  observation 
of  his  great  abilities,  it  will  be  needful  to  declare, 
that  about  this  time  King  James  came  very  often 
to  hunt  at  Newmarket  and  Royston,  and  was  al- 
most as  often  invited  to  Cambridge,  where  his  en- 
tertainment was  comedies  suited  to  his  pleasant 
humor ;  and  where   Mr.  George   Herbert  was  to 


156  THE   LIFE   OF 

welcome  him  with  gratulations  and  the  applauses 
of  au  Orator,  which  he  always  performed  so  well, 
that  he  still  grew  more  into  the  King's  favor,  in- 
somuch that  he  had  a  particular  appointment  to 
attend  his  Majesty  at  Royston ;  where,  after  a 
discourse  with  him,  his  Majesty  declared  to  his 
kinsman,  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  "  that  he  found 
the  orator's  learnincr  and  wisdom  much  above  his 
age  or  wit."  The  year  following,  the  King  ap- 
pointed to  end  his  progress  at  Cambridge,  and  to 
stay  there  certain  days ;  at  which  time  he  was  at- 
tended by  the  great  secretary  of  nature  and  all 
learning.  Sir  Francis  Bacon  (Lord  Verulam),  and 
by  the  ever  memorable  and  learned  Dr.  Andrews, 
Bishop  of  Winchester,  both  -which  did  at  that 
time  begin  a  desired  friendship  with  our  orator. 
Upon  whom,  the  first  put  such  a  value  on  his 
judgment,  that  he  usually  desired  his  approbation 
before  he  would  expose  any  of  his  books  to  be 
printed,  and  thought  him  so  worthy  of  his  friend- 
ship, that  having  translated  many  of  the  })ropliet 
David's  Psalms  into  English  verse,  he  made 
George  Herbert  his  patron,  by  a  public  dedication 
of  them  to  him,  as  the  best  judge  of  divine  poetry. 
And  for  the  learned  bishoj),  it  is  observable,  that 
at  that  time  there  fell  to  be  a  modest  debate  be- 
twixt them  two  al)out  prede.-^tination  and  sanctity 
of  life;  of  botii  which  the  orator  did,  not  lung  af- 
ter, send  the   Bishop   souje  safe  and  useful   apho- 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  157 

risms,  in  a  long  letter,  written  in  Greek ;  which 
letter  was  so  remarkable  for  the  language  and  rea- 
son of  it,  that  after  the  reading  it,  the  Bishop  put 
it  into  his  bosom,  and  did  often  show  it  to  many 
scholars,  both  of  this  and  foreign  nations;  but  did 
always  return  it  back  to  the  place  where  he  first 
lodged  it,  and  continued  it  so  near  his  heart  till 
the  last  day  of  his  life. 

To  these,  I  might  add  the  long  and  entire 
friendship  betwixt  him  and  Sir  Henry  Wotton, 
and  Dr.  Donne,  but  I  have  promised  to  contract 
myself,"  and  shall  therefore  only  add  one  testimo- 
ny to  what  is  also  mentioned  in  the  Life  of  Dr. 
Donne ;  namely,  that  a  little  before  his  death,  he 
caused  many  seals  to  be  made,  and  in  them  to  be 
engraven  the  figure  of  Christ  crucified  on  an  an- 
chor (the  emblem  of  hope),  and  of  which  Dr. 
Donne  would  often  say,  "Crux  mihi  anchora." 
These  seals  he  gave  or  sent  to  most  of  those 
friends  on  which  he  put  a  value ;  and,  at  Mr. 
Herbert's  death,  these  verses  were  found  wrapt 
up  with  that  seal  which  was  by  the  Doctor  given 
to  him  : 

"  When  my  dear  friend  could  write  no  more, 
He  gave  this  seal,  and  so  gave  o'er. 

When  winds  and  waves  rise  highest,  I  am  sure, 
T^is  anchor  keeps  my  faith,  that  me  secure." 


158 


THE  LIFE  OF 


At  this  time  of  being  Orator,  he  had  learnt  to 
understand  the  Italian,  Spanish,  and  French 
tongues  very  perfectly  ;  hoping,  that  as  his  pre- 
decessors, so  he  might  in  time  attain  the  place  of 
a  secretary  of  state,  he  being  at  tliat  time  very 
high  in  the  King's  favor  ;  and  not  meanly  valued 
and  loved  by  the  most  eminent  and  most  powerful 
of  the  court  nobility.  This,  and  the  love  of  a 
court  conversation,  mixed  with  a  laudable  ambition 
to  be  something  more  than  he  then  was,  drew  him 
often  from  Cambridire  to  attend  the  Kincr,  where- 
soever  the  court  was,  who  then  gave  him  a  sine- 
cure, which  fell  into  his  Majesty's  disposal,  I  think, 
by  the  death  of  the  Bishop  of  St.  Asapli.  It  was 
the  same,  that  Queen  Elizabetli  had  formerly 
given  to  her  favorite  Sir  Philip  Sidney ;  and  val- 
ued to  be  worth  a  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  per 
annum.  With  this,  and  his  annuity,  and  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  college,  and  of  his  oratorship,  he 
enjoyed  his  genteel  humor  for  clothes  and  court- 
like comj)any,  and  seldom  looked  towards  Cam- 
bridge, unless  the  King  were  there,  but  then  he 
never  failed;  and,  at  other  times,  left  the  manage 
of  his  Orator's  place  to  his  learned  friend  JNIr.  Her- 
bert Thorndike,  who  is  now  prebendary  of  West- 
minster. 

I  may  not  omit  to  tell,  that  he  had  often  de- 
signed to  leave  the  university,  and  decline  all 
study,  which,  he  thought,  did  impair  his  health 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  159 

for  he  had  a  body  apt  to  a  consumption,  and  to 
fevers,  and  other  infirmities,  which  he  judged 
were  increased  by  his  studies ;  for  he  would  often 
say,  "  he  had  too  thoughtful  a  wit :  a  wit,  like  a 
penknife  in  too  narrow  a  sheath,  too  sharp  for  his 
body."  But  his  mother  would  by  no  means  allow 
him  to  leave  the  university,  or  to  travel ;  and 
though  he  inclined  very  much  to  both,  yet  he 
would  by  no  means  satisfy  his  own  desires  at  so 
dear  a  rate,  as  to  prove  an  undutiful  son  to  so  af- 
fectionate a  mother  ;  but  did  always  submit  to  her 
wisdom.  And  what  I  have  now  said  may  partly 
appear  in  a  copy  of  verses  in  his  printed  poems  ;  it 
is  one  of  those  that  bear  the  title  of  "  Affliction  "  ; 
and  it  appears  to  be  a  pious  reflection  on  God's 
providence,  and  some  passages  of  his  life,  in  which 
he  says : 

"Whereas  my  birth  and  spirit  rather  took 

The  way  that  takes  the  town  : 
Thou  didst  betray  me  to  a  lingering  book, 

And  wrap  me  in  a  gown  : 
I  was  entangled  in  a  world  of  strife, 
Before  I  had  the  power  to  change  my  life. 

"  Yet,  for  I  threatened  oft  the  siege  to  raise. 

Not  simpering  all  mine  age  ; 
Thou  often  didst  with  academic  praise 

Melt  and  dissolve  my  rage  : 
I  took  the  sweetened  pill,  till  I  came  where 
I  could  not  go  away,  nor  persevere. 


160  THE  LIFE  OF 

"  Yet  lest  perchance  I  should  too  happy  be 
In  my  unhappiness, 

Turning  my  purge  to  food,  thou  tbrowest  me 
Into  more  sicknesses. 

Thus  doth  thy  power  cross-bias  me,  not  making 

Thine  own  gifts  good,  yet  me  from  my  ways  tak- 
ing. 

"  Now  I  am  here,  what  thou  wilt  do  with  me 

None  of  my  books  will  show : 
I  read,  and  sigh,  and  wish  I  were  a  tree, 

For  then  sure  I  should  grow 
To  fruit  or  shade,  at  least,  some  bird  would  trust 
Her  household  with  me,  and  1  would  be  just. 

"  Yet  thougii  thou  troublest  me,  I  must  be  meek. 

In  weakness  must  be  stout : 
Well,  I  will  change  my  service  and  go  seek 

Some  other  master  out : 
Ah  !  my  dear  God,  though  I  am  clean  forgot, 
Let  me  not  love  thee,  if  I  love  tliee  not. 

G.  H." 

In  this  time  of  Mr.  Herbert's  attendance  and 
expectation  of  some  good  occasion  to  remove  from 
Cambridge  to  court,  God,  in  whom  there  is  an 
unseen  chain  of  causes,  did,  in  a  short  time,  pnt 
an  end  to  the  lives  of  two  of  his  most  obliging 
and  most  powerful  friends,  Lodowick  Duke  of 
Richmond,  and  .Tames  Marcjuis  of  Hamilton  ;  and 
not  long  after  him,  King  .lames  died  also,  and 
with  them,  all  Mr.  Herbert's  court  hopes :  so  that 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  161 

he  presently  betook  himself  to  a  retreat  from 
London,  to  a  friend  in  Kent,  where  he  lived  very 
privately,  and  was  such  a  lover  of  solitariness,  as 
was  judged  to  impair  his  health  more  than  his 
study  had  done.  In  this  time  of  retirement,  he 
had  many  conflicts  with  himself,  whether  he 
should  return  to  the  painted  pleasures  of  a  court- 
life,  or  betake  himself  to  a  study  of  divinity,  and 
enter  into  sacred  orders  ?  (to  which  his  dear  moth- 
er had  often  persuaded  him.)  — These  were  such 
conflicts,  as  they  only  can  know,  that  have  endur- 
ed them ;  for  ambitious  desires,  and  the  outward 
glory  of  this  world,  are  not  easily  laid  aside;  but, 
at  last,  God  inclined  him  to  put  on  a  resolution  to 
serve  at  his  altar. 

He  did,  at   his  return  to   London,   acquaint  a 
court   friend  with  his  resolution  to  enter  into  sa- 
cred orders,  who  persuaded  him  to  alter  it,  as  too 
mean  an  employment,    and  too  much  below  his 
birth,  and  the  excellent  abilities  and  endowments 
of  his  mind.     To  whom  he  replied,  "  It  hath  been 
formerlv  judcred  that  the  domestic  servants  of  the 
Kinff  of  heaven   should  be  of  the  noblest  families 
on  earth :    and  though  the   iniquity  of  the  late 
times  have  made  clergymen  meanly  valued,  and 
the  sacred  name  of  priest  contemptible  ;    yet  I 
will  labor  to  make  it  honorable,  by  consecrating 
all  my  learning,  and   all  my  poor  abilities,  to  ad- 
vance the  glory  of  that  God  that  gave  them  : 
Vol.  II.  11 


162  THE  LIFE  OF 

knowing  that  I  can  never  do  too  much  for  Him 
that  hath  done  so  much  for  me,  as  to  make  me  a 
Christian.  And  I  will  labor  to  be  like  my  Sa- 
viour, by  making  humility  lovely  in  the  eyes  of 
all  men,  and  by  following  the  merciful  and  meek 
example  of  my  dear  Jesus." 

This  was  then  his  resolution,  and  the  God  of 
constancy,  who  intended  him  for  a  great  example 
of  virtue,  continued  him  in  it ;  for  within  that 
year  he  was  made  deacon,  but  the  day  when,  or 
by  whom,  I  cannot  learn  :  but  that  he  was  about 
that  time  made  deacon  is  most  certain  ;  for  I  find 
by  the  records  of  Lincoln,  that  he  was  made  Pre- 
bendary of  Layton  Ecclesia,  in  the  diocese  of  Lin- 
coln, July  15,  1G2G ;  and  that  this  prebend  was 
given  him  by  John,  then  Lord  Bishop  of  that  see. 
And  now  he  had  a  fit  occasion  to  show  that  piety 
and  bounty  that  was  derived  from  his  generous 
mother,  and  his  other  memorable  ancestors,  and 
the  occasion  was  this. 

This  Layton  Ecclesia  is  a  village  near  to  Spal- 
den,  in  the  county  of  Huntingdon,  and  the  great- 
est part  of  the  parish  church  was  fallen  down, 
and  that  of  it  which  stood  was  so  decayed,  so 
little,  and  so  useless,  that  the  parishioners  could 
not  meet  to  perform  their  duty  to  God  in  public 
prayer  and  praises ;  and  thus  it  had  been  for  al- 
most twenty  years,  in  which  time  there  had  been 
some  faint  endeavours  for  a  public  collection,  to 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  163 

enable  the  parishioners  to  rebuild  it,  but  with  no 
success,  till  Mr.  Herbert  undertook  it ;  and  he  by 
his  own  and  the  contribution  of  many  of  his  kin- 
dred, and  other  noble  friends,  undertook  the  re- 
edification  of  it,  and  made  it  so  much  his  whole 
business,  that  he  became  restless  till  he  saw  it 
finished  as  it  now  stands :  being  for  the  workman- 
ship a  costly  Mosaic  ;  for  the  form  an  exact  cross ; 
and  for  the  decency  and  beauty,  I  am  assured,  it 
is  the  most  remarkable  parish  church  that  this  na- 
tion affords.  He  lived  to  see  it  so  wainscotted, 
as  to  be  exceeded  by  none ;  and,  by  his  order, 
the  reading  pew  and  pulpit  were  a  little  distant 
firom  each  other,  and  both  of  an  equal  height :  for 
he  would  often  say,  "  They  should  neither  have 
a  precedency  or  priority  of  the  other  ;  but  that 
prayer  and  preaching,  being  equally  useful,  might 
agree  like  brethren,  and  have  an  equal  honor  and 
estimation." 

Before  I  proceed  farther,  I  must  look  back  to 
the  time  of  Mr,  Herbert's  being  made  prebendary, 
and  tell  the  reader,  that  not  long  after,  his  moth- 
er being  informed  of  his  intentions  to  rebuild  that 
church,  and  apprehending  the  great  trouble  and 
charge  that  he  was  likely  to  draw  upon  himself, 
his  relations  and  friends,  before  it  could  be  finish- 
ed, sent  for  him  from  London  to  Chelsea  (where 
she  then  dwelt),  and  at  his  coming  said,  "  George, 
I  sent  for  you  to  persuade  you  to  commit  Simony, 


164  THE    LIFE    OF 

by  giving  your  patron  as  good  a  gift  as  he  has  giv- 
en to  you  ;  namely,  that  you  give  him  back  his 
prebend:  for,  George,  it  is  not  for  your  \veak 
body  and  empty  purse  to  undertake  to  build 
churches."  Of  which  he  desired  he  might  have 
a  day  to  consider,  and  then  make  her  an  answer. 
And  at  his  return  to  her  the  next  day,  when  he 
had  first  desired  her  blessing,  and  she  given  it  to 
him,  his  next  request  was,  "  that  she  would  at 
the  age  of  thirty-three  years  allow  him  to  become 
an  undutiful  son  ;  for  he  had  made  a  vow  to  God, 
that  if  he  were  able,  he  would  rebuild  that  church : " 
and  then  showed  her  such  reasons  for  his  resolu- 
tion, that  she  presently  subscribed  to  be  one  of 
his  benefactors  ;  and  undertook  to  solicit  William 
Earl  of  Pembroke  to  become  another,  who  sub- 
scribed for  fifty  pounds ;  and  not  long  after,  by  a 
witty  and  persuasive  letter  from  Mr.  Herbert, 
made  it  fifty  pounds  more.  And  in  this  nomina- 
tion of  some  of  his  benefactors,  James  Duke  of 
Lenox,  and  his  brother  Sir  Henry  Herbert,  ought 
to  be  remembered  ;  as,  also,  the  bounty  of  Mr. 
Nicholas  Farrer  and  Mr.  Artlmr  Woodnot,  the 
one  a  gentleman  in  the  neiglibourhood  of  Layton, 
and  the  other  a  goldsmith  in  Foster-lane,  Lon- 
don, ought  not  to  be  forgotten  ;  for  the  memory 
of  such  men  outjht  to  outlive  their  lives.  Of  Mr. 
Farrer  I  shall  hereafter  give  an  account  in  a  more 
seasonable  place ;  but  before  1  proceed  farther  I 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  165 

will  give  this  short  account  of  Mr.  Arthur  Wood- 
not : 

He  was  a  man  that  had  considered  overgrown 
estates  do  often   require  more  care  and  watchful- 
ness  to  preserve  than  get  them ;  and  consider- 
ed that  there   be  many    discontents  that  riches 
cure  not ;  and  did  therefore  set  limits  to  himself  as 
to  desire  of  wealth  :   and  having  attained  so  much 
as  to  be  able  to  show  some  mercy  to  the  poor,  and 
preserve  a  competence  for   himself,  he  dedicated 
the  remaining  part  of  his  life  to  the  service  of  God, 
and  to  be  useful  for  his  friends  :  and  he  proved  to 
be  so  to  Mr.  Herbert ;  for,  beside  his  own  bounty, 
he  collected  and  returned  most  of  the  money  that 
was  paid  for  the  rebuilding  of  that  church ;  he 
kept  all  the  account  of  the  charges,  and  would 
often  go  down  to  state  them,  and  see  all  the  work- 
men paid.       When   I   have   said,  that  this  good 
man  was  a  useful  friend  to  Mr.  Herbert's  father, 
and  to  his  mother,  and  continued  to  be  so  to  him, 
till  he  closed  his  eyes  on  his  death-bed,    I  will 
forbear  to  say  more,  till  I  have  the  next  fair  occa- 
sion to  mention  the   holy  friendship  that  was  be- 
twixt  him  and  Mr.  Herbert ;    from   whom  Mr. 
Woodnot  carried  to  his  mother  this  following  let- 
ter, and  delivered  it  to  her   in   a  sickness,  which 
was  not  long  before  that  which  proved  to  be  her 
last 


166  THE    LIFE    OF 

A  LETTER  OF  MR-  GEORGE  HERBERT  TO  HIS  MOTHER, 

IN  HER  SICKNESS. 

"  MADAM, 

"  At  my  last  parting  from  you,  I  was  the  better 
content  because  I  was  in  hope  I  should  myself 
carry  all  sickness  out  of  your  family  ;  but  since  I 
know  I  did  not,  and  that  your  share  continues,  or 
rather  increaseth,  I  wish  earnestly  that  I  were 
again  with  you  ;  and  would  quickly  make  good 
my  wish,  but  that  my  employment  does  fix  me 
here,  it  being  now  but  a"  month  to  our  commence- 
ment :  wherein  my  absence,  by  how  much  it  nat- 
urally augmenteth  suspicion,  by  so  much  shall  it 
make  my  prayers  the  more  constant  and  the  more 
earnest  for  you  to  the  God  of  all  consolation.  In 
the  mean  time,  I  beseech  you  to  be  cheerful,  and 
comfort  yourself  in  the  God  of  all  comfort,  who  is 
not  willing  to  behold  any  sorrow  but  for  sin. 
What  hatli  affliction  grievous  in  it  more  than  for 
a  moment  ?  or  why  should  our  afflictions  here  have 
so  much  power  or  boldness  as  to  oppose  the  hope 
of  our  joys  hereafter  ?  —  Madam,  as  the  earth  is 
but  a  point  in  respect  of  the  heavens,  so  are  earthly 
troubles  compared  to  heavenly  joys :  therefore,  if 
either  age  or  sickness  lead  you  to  those  joys,  con- 
sider what  advantage  you  have  over  youth  and 
health,  who  are  now  so  near  those  true  comforts. 
Your  last  letter  gave  me  eartlily  ])referment,  and, 
I   hope,  kept  heavenly   for  yourself     But  would 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  16/ 

you  divide  and  choose  too  ?  our  college  customs 
allow  not  that ;  and  I  should  account  myself  most 
happy  if  I  might  change  with  you :  for  I  have  al- 
ways observed  the  thread  of  life  to  be  like  other 
threads  or  skeins  of  silk,  full  of  snarls  and  in- 
cumbrances :  happy  is  he,  whose  bottom  is  wound 
up  and  laid  ready  for  work  in  the  New  Jerusalem. 
For  myself,  dear  mother,  I  always  feared  sickness 
more  than  death ;  because  sickness  hath  made 
me  unable  to  perform  those  offices  for  which  I 
came  into  the  world,  and  must  yet  be  kept  in  it ; 
but  you  are  freed  from  that  fear,  who  have  already 
abundantly  discharged  that  part,  having  both  or- 
dered your  family,  and  so  brought  up  your  chil- 
dren that  they  have  attained  to  the  years  of  dis- 
cretion, and  competent  maintenance.  So  that 
now,  if  they  do  not  well,  the  fault  cannot  be  charg- 
ed on  you,  whose  example  and  care  of  them  will 
justify  you  both  to  the  world  and  your  own  con- 
science :  insomuch,  that  whether  you  turn  your 
thoughts  on  the  life  past,  or  on  the  joys  that  are 
to  come,  you  have  strong  preservatives  against  all 
disquiet.  And  for  temporal  afflictions,  I  beseech 
you  consider,  all  that  can  happen  to  you  are  eith- 
er afflictions  of  estate,  or  body,  or  mind.  For 
those  of  estate,  of  what  poor  regard  ought  they 
to  be,  since,  if  we  had  riches,  we  are  commanded 
to  give  them  away  ?  so  that  the  best  use  of  them 
is,  having,  not  to  have  them.      But,  perhaps,  be- 


168  THE  LIFE  OP 

ing  above  the  common  people,  our  credit  and  es- 
timation calls  on  us  to  live  in  a  more  splendid 
fashion.  But,  O  God  !  how  easily  is  that  answer- 
ed, when  we  consider  that  the  blessings  in  the 
holy  Scripture  are  never  given  to  the  rich,  but  to 
the  poor.  I  never  find  '  Blessed  be  the  rich,'  or 
'  Blessed  be  the  noble  ' ;  but '  Blessed  be  the  meek,' 
and  '  Blessed  be  the  poor,'  and  '  Blessed  be  the 
mourners,  for  they  shall  be  comforted.'  And  yet, 
O  God !  most  carry  themselves  so,  as  if  they  not 
only  not  desired,  but  even  feared  to  be  blessed. 
And  for  afflictions  of  the  body,  dear  Madam,  re- 
member the  holy  martyrs  of  God,  how  they  have 
been  burnt  by  thousands,  and  have  endured  such 
other  tortures,  as  the  very  mention  of  them  might 
beget  amazement ;  but  their  fiery  trials  have  had 
an  end  :  and  yours  (which,  praised  be  God,  are 
less)  are  not  like  to  continue  long.  I  beseech 
you,  let  such  thoughts  as  these  moderate  your 
present  fear  and  sorrow  ;  and  know,  that  if  any  of 
yours  should  prove  a  Goliah-like  trouble,  yet  you 
may  say  with  David,  '  That  God,  who  delivered 
me  out  of  the  paws  of  the  lion  and  bear,  will  also 
deliver  me  out  of  the  hands  of  this  uncircumcised 
Philistine.'  Lastly,  for  those  afflictions  of  the  soul, 
consider  that  God  intends  that  to  be  as  a  sacred 
temple  for  himself  to  dwell  in,  and  will  not  allow 
any  room  there  for  such  an  inmate  as  grief,  or  al- 
low that  any  sadness  shall  be  his  competitor.     And , 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  169 

above  all,  if  any  care  of  future  things  molest  you, 
remember  those  admirable  words  of  the  Psalmist: 
*  Cast  thy  care  on  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  nourish 
thee,'  Psal.  Iv.  To  which  join  that  of  St.  Peter, 
'  Casting  all  your  care  on  the  Lord,  for  he  careth 
for  you,'  1  Pet.  v.  7.  What  an  admirable  thing 
is  this,  that  God  puts  his  shoulder  to  our  burden, 
and  entertains  our  care  for  us,  that  we  may  the 
more  quietly  intend  his  service.  To  conclude, 
let  me  commend  only  one  place  more  to  you, 
(Philip,  iv.  4.) ;  St.  Paul  saith  there,  'Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  always  :  and  again  I  say.  Rejoice.'  He 
doubles  it  to  take  away  the  scruple  of  those  that 
might  say.  What,  shall  we  rejoice  in  afflictions  ? 
Yes,  I  say  again.  Rejoice  ;  so  that  it  is  not  left  to 
us  to  rejoice  or  not  rejoice  ;  but,  whatsoever  befalls 
us,  we  must  always,  at  all  times,  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  who  taketh  care  for  us.  And  it  follows  in 
the  next  verse  :  '  Let  your  moderation  appear  to 
all  men.  The  Lord  is  at  hand.  Be  careful  for 
nothing.'  What  can  be  said  more  comfortably  ? 
Trouble  not  yourselves,  God  is  at  hand  to  deliver 
us  from  all,  or  in  all.  Dear  Madam,  pardon  my 
boldness,  and  accept  the  good  meaning  of 
Your  most  obedient  son, 

GEORGE  HERBERT. 
Trinity  College,  May  25,  1622." 


170  THE  LIFE  OF 

About  the  year  1()29,  and  the  34th  of  his  age, 
Mr.  Herbert  was  seized  with  a  sharp  quotidian 
ague,  and  thought  to  remove  it  by  the  change  of 
air ;  to  which  end,  he  went  to  Woodford  in 
Essex,  but  thither  more  chiefly  to  enjoy  the  com- 
pany of  his  beloved  brother  Sir  Henry  Herbert, 
and  other  friends  then  of  that  family.  In  his 
house  he  remained  about  twelve  months,  and 
there  became  his  own  physician,  and  cured  him- 
self of  his  ague,  by  forbearing  drink,  and  not  eat- 
ing any  meat,  no  not  mutton,  nor  a  hen,  or  pigeon, 
unless  they  were  salted  ;  and  by  such  a  constant 
diet  he  removed  his  ague,  but  with  inconveniences 
that  were  worse ;  for  he  brought  upon  himself  a 
disposition  to  rheums  and  other  weaknesses,  and 
a  supposed  consumption.  And  it  is  to  be  noted, 
that  in  the  sharpest  of  his  extreme  fits  he  would 
often  say,  "  Lord,  abate  my  great  affliction,  or  in- 
crease my  patience  ;  but,  Lord,  I  repine  not ;  I 
am  dumb,  Lord,  before  thee,  because  thou  doest 
it."  By  whicii,  and  a  sanctified  submission  to  the 
will  of  God,  he  showed  he  was  inclinable  to  bear 
the  sweet  yoke  of  Christian  discipline,  both  then 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  of  which  there 
will  be  many  true  testimonies. 

And  now  his  care  was  to  recover  from  his  con- 
sumj)ti<)n  ])y  a  change  from  Woodford  into  such 
an  air  as  was  most  ])rop(>r  to  that  end.  And  his 
remove   was   to   Dauiitsey  in    Wiltsiiire,   a  noble 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  171 

house,  which  stands  in  a  choice  air  ;  the  owner 
of  it  then  was  the  Lord  Danvers  Earl  of  Danby, 
who  loved  Mr.  Herbert  so  very  much,  that  he  al- 
lowed him  such  an  apartment  in  it  as  might  best 
suit  with  his  accommodation  and  liking.  And  in 
this  place,  by  a  spare  diet,  declining  all  perplex- 
ing studies,  moderate  exercise,  and  a  cheerful 
conversation,  his  health  was  apparently  improved 
to  a  good  degree  of  strength  and  cheerfulness  : 
and  then  he  declared  his  resolution,  both  to  mar- 
ry, and  to  enter  into  the  sacred  orders  of  priest- 
hood. These  had  long  been  the  desires  of  his 
mother  and  his  other  relations ;  but  she  lived  not 
to  see  either,  for  she  died  in  the  year  1627.  And 
though  he  was  disobedient  to  her  about  Layton 
Church,  yet,  in  conformity  to  her  will,  he  kept  his 
Orator's  place  till  after  her  death,  and  then  pres- 
ently declined  it ;  and  the  more  willingly,  that  he 
might  be  succeeded  by  his  friend  Robert  Creigh- 
ton,  who  now  is  Dr.  Creighton,  and  the  worthy 
Bishop  of  Wells. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  his  marriage  ;  in  order  to 
which,  it  will  be  convenient  that  I  first  give  the 
reader  a  short  view  of  his  person,  and  then  an  ac- 
count of  his  wife,  and  of  some  circumstances  con- 
cerning both. 

He  was,  for  his  person,  of  a  stature  inclining  to- 
wards tallness  ;  his  body  was  very  straight ;  and 
so  far  from  being  cumbered  with  too  much  flesh, 


172  THE  LIFE  OF 

that  he  was  lean  to  an  extremity.  His  aspect  was 
cheerful,  and  his  speech  and  motion  did  both  de- 
clare him  a  gentleman  ;  for  they  were  all  so  meek 
and  obliging,  that  they  purchased  love  and  respect 
from  all  that  knew  him. 

These,  and  his  other  visible  virtues,  begot  him 
much  love  from  a  gentleman,  of  a  noble  fortune, 
and  a  near  kinsman  to  his  friend  the  Earl  of  Dan- 
by  ;  namely,  from  Mr.  Charles  Danvers  of  Bain- 
ton,  in  the  county  of  Wilts,  Esq. ;  this  Mr.  Dan- 
vers, having  known  him  long  and  familiarly,  did 
so  much  affect  him,  that  he  often  and  publicly  de- 
clared a  desire  that  Mr.  Herbert  would  marry 
any  of  his  nine  daughters  (for  he  had  so  many) ; 
but  rather  his  daughter  Jane  than  any  other,  be- 
cause Jane  was  his  beloved  daugliter.  And  he 
had  often  said  the  same  to  Mr.  Herbert  himself; 
and  that  if  he  could  like  her  for  a  wife,  and  she 
him  for  a  husband,  Jane  should  have  a  double 
blessing ;  and  Mr.  Danvers  had  so  often  said  the 
like  to  Jane,  and  so  much  commended  Mr.  Her- 
bert to  her,  that  Jane  became  so  much  a  Pla- 
tonic, as  to  fall  in  love  with  Mr.  Herbert  unseen. 

This  was  a  fair  ])roparation  for  a  marriage  ; 
but  alas,  her  father  died  before  Mr.  Herbert's  re- 
tirement to  Dauntsey ;  yet  some  friends  to  both 
parties  procured  their  meeting  ;  at  wliich  time  a 
nuitual  affection  entered  into  both  their  hearts,  as 
a  comjueror  enters  into  a  surprised  city,  and  love 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  173 

having  got  such  possession  governed,  and  made 
there  such  laws  and  resolutions  as  neither  party 
was  able  to  resist ;  insomuch  that  she  changed 
her  name  to  Herbert  the  third  day  after  this  first 
interview. 

This  haste  might  in  others  be  thought  a  love- 
phrenzy,  or  worse  ;    but  it  was  not,   for  they  had 
wooed  so  like  princes,  as  to   have  select  proxies  ; 
such  as  were  true  friends  to   both  parties ;  such 
as  well  understood  Mr.  Herbert's  and  her  temper 
of  mind,  and  also  their  estates,  so  well  before  this 
interview,  that  the  suddenness  was  justifiable  by 
the  strictest  rules  of  prudence ;  and  the  more  be- 
cause it  proved  so  happy  to  both  parties  :    for  the 
Eternal  Lover  of  mankind  made  them   happy  in 
each  other's  mutual  and  equal  affections  and  com- 
pliance; indeed   so  happy,   that  there  never  was 
any  opposition  betwixt  them,  unless  it  were  a  con- 
test which  should  most  incline    to  a  compliance 
with  the  other's  desires.     And  though  this  begot, 
and  continued  in  them,  such  a  mutual  love,  and 
joy,  and  content,   as  was  no  way  defective ;  yet 
this  mutual  content,  and  love,  and  joy  did  receive 
a  daily  augmentation,  by  such  daily  obligingness 
to  each  other,  as  still  added   such  new  affluences 
to  the  former  fullness  of  these  divine  souls,  as  was 
only  improvable  in  heaven,  where  they  now  en- 
joy it. 


174  THE    LIFE    OF 

About  three  months  after  his  marriage,  Dr. 
Curie,  who  was  then  Rector  of  Bemerton  in  Wilt- 
shire, was  made  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  and 
not  long  after  translated  to  Winchester  ;  and  by 
that  means  the  presentation  of  a  clerk  to  Bemer- 
ton did  not  fall  to  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  (who  was 
the  undoubted  patron  of  it)  but  to  the  King,  by 
reason  of  Dr.  Curie's  advancement.  But  Philip, 
then  Earl  of  Pembroke  (for  William  was  lately 
dead),  requested  the  King  to  bestow  it  upon  his 
kinsman  George  Herbert ;  and  the  King  said, 
"  Most  willingly  to  Mr.  Herbert,  if  it  be  worth  his 
acceptance."  And  the  Earl  as  willingly  and  sud- 
denly sent  it  him  without  seeking.  But  though 
Mr.  Herbert  had  formerly  put  on  a  resolution  for 
the  clergy ;  yet,  at  receiving  this  presentation, 
the  apprehension  of  the  last  great  account,  that 
he  was  to  make  for  the  cure  of  so  many  souls, 
made  him  fast  and  pray  often,  and  consider  for 
not  less  than  a  month  ;  in  which  time  he  had 
some  resolutions  to  decline  both  the  priesthood 
and  that  living.  And  in  this  time  of  considering, 
"  he  endured,"  as  he  would  often  say,  "such  spir- 
itual conflicts  as  none  can  think,  but  only  those 
that  have  endured  them." 

In  the  midst  of  those  conflicts,  his  old  and  dear 
friend  Mr.  Arthur  Woodnot  took  a  journey  to  sa- 
lute him  at  Bainton  (where  he  then  was  with  his 
wife's  friends  and  relations),  and  was  joyful  to  bo 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  175 

an  eye-witness  of  his  health  and  happy  marriage. 
And  after  they  had  rejoiced  together  some  few 
days,  they  took  a  journey  to  Wilton,  the  famous 
seat  of  the  Earls  of  Pembroke ;  at  which  time  the 
King,  the  Earl,  and  the  whole  Court  were  there, 
or  at  Salisbury,  which  is  near  to  it.  And  at  this 
time  Mr.  Herbert  presented  his  thanks  to  the 
Earl,  for  his  presentation  to  Bemerton,  but  had 
not  yet  resolved  to  accept  it,  and  told  him  the  rea- 
son why  ;  but  that  night  the  Earl  acquainted  Dr. 
Laud,  then  Bishop  of  London,  and  after  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  with  his  kinsman's  irreso- 
lution. And  the  Bishop  did  the  next  day  so  con- 
vince Mr.  Herbert,  that  the  refusal  of  it  was  a 
sin,  that  a  tailor  was  sent  for  to  come  speedily 
from  Salisbury  to  Wilton,  to  take  measure,  and 
make  him  canonical  clothes  against  next  day ; 
which  the  tailor  did.  And  Mr.  Herbert,  being  so 
habited,  went  with  his  presentation  to  the  learned 
Dr.  Davenant,  who  was  then  Bishop  of  Salisbury, 
and  he  gave  him  institution  immediately  (for  Mr. 
Herbert  had  been  made  deacon  some  years  be- 
fore) ;  and  he  was  also  the  same  day  (which  was 
April  26,  1630)  inducted  into  the  good,  and  more 
pleasant  than  healthful,  parsonage  of  Bemerton  ; 
which  is  a  mile  from  Salisbury. 

I  have  now  brought  them  to  the  parsonage  of 
Bemerton,  and  to  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  his  age, 
and  must  stop  here,  and  bespeak  the  reader  to 


176  THE  LIFE  OF 

prepare  for  an  almost  incredible  story  of  the  great 
sanctity  of  the  short  remainder  of  his  holy  life  ;  a 
life  so  full  of  charity,  humility,  and   all  Christian 
virtues,  that  it  deserves  the  eloquence  of  St.  Chrys- 
ostom  to  commend  and   declare  it !     A  life,  that 
if  it  were  related  by  a  pen  like  his,  there  would 
then  be  no  need  for   this   as^e   to  look   back  into 
times  past  for  the  examples  of  primitive  piety  ;  for 
they  might  be  all  found  in  the  life  of  George  Her- 
bert.    But  now,  alas  !  who  is  fit  to  undertake  it  ? 
I  confess   I  am  not ;     and    am   not   pleased   with 
myself  that  I  must;  and   profess  myself  amazed, 
when  I  consider  how  few  of  the  clergy  lived  like 
him  then,  and  how  many  live  so  unlike  him  now. 
But  it  becomes  not  me  to  censure  :    my  design  is 
rather  to  assure  the  reader,  that  I  have  used  very 
great  diligence  to  inform  myself,  that  I  might  in- 
form him  of  the  truth  of  what  follows  ;  and  though 
I  cannot  adorn  it  with  eloquence,  yet  I  will  do  it 
with  sincerity. 

When  at  his  induction  ho  was  shut  into  Bemer- 
ton  church,  being  left  tiiere  alone  to  toll  the  bell 
(as  the  law  requires  him),  he  stayed  so  much 
longer  than  an  ordinary  time  before  he  returned 
to  those  friends  that  stayed  expecting  him  at  the 
church  door,  that  his  friend  Mr.  Woodnot  looked 
in  at  the  church  window,  and  saw  him  lie  pros- 
trate on  the  crround  before  the  altar  :  at  which 
time  and  place  (as  he  after  told  Mr.  Woodnot)  he 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  177 

set  some  rules  to  himself,  for  the  future  manage 
of  his  life ;  and  then  and  there  made  a  vow  to  la- 
bor to  keep  them. 

And  the  same  night  that  he  had  his  induction, 
he  said  to  Mr.  Woodnot ;  "  I  now  look  back  up- 
on my  aspiring  thoughts,  and  think  myself  more 
happy  than  if  I  had  attained  what  then  I  so  ambi- 
tiously thirsted  for  :  and  I  can  now  behold  the 
court  with  an  impartial  eye,  and  see  plainly  that 
it  is  made  up  of  fraud,  and  titles,  and  flattery, 
and  many  other  such  empty,  imaginary,  painted 
pleasures ;  pleasures  that  are  so  empty,  as  not  to 
satisfy  when  they  are  enjoyed.  But  in  God  and 
his  service  is  a  fullness  of  all  joy  and  pleasure, 
and  no  satiety.  And  I  will  now  use  all  my  en- 
deavours to  bring  my  relations  and  dependents  to 
a  love  and  reliance  on  him,  who  never  fails  those 
that  trust  him.  But  above  all,  I  will  be  sure  to 
live  well,  because  the  virtuous  life  of  a  clergyman 
is  the  most  powerful  eloquence  to  persuade  all  that 
see  it  to  reverence  and  love,  and  at  least  to  desire 
to  live  like  him.  And  this  I  will  do,  because  I 
know  we  live  in  an  age  that  hath  more  need  of 
good  examples  than  precepts.  And  I  beseech 
that  God,  who  hath  honored  me  so  much  as  to  call 
me  to  serve  him  at  his  altar,  that  as  by  his  special 
grace  he  hath  put  into  my  heart  these  good  de- 
sires and  resolutions  ;  so  he  will,  by  his  assisting 
grace,  give  me  ghostly  strength  to  bring  the  same 

Vol.  II.  12 


178  THE  LIFE  OF 

to  good  effect.  And  I  beseech  him  that  my  hum- 
ble and  charitable  life  may  so  win  upon  others,  as 
to  bring  glory  to  my  Jesus,  whom  I  have  this  day 
taken  to  be  my  master  and  governor  :  and  I  am 
so  proud  of  his  service,  that  I  will  always  observe, 
and  obey,  and  do  his  will,  and  always  call  him 
'  Jesus,  my  master  '  ;  and  I  will  always  contemn  my 
birth,  or  any  title  or  dignity  that  can  be  conferred 
upon  me,  when  I  shall  compare  them  with  my  title 
of  being  a  priest,  and  serving  at  the  altar  of  Jesus, 
my  master." 

And  that  he  did  so  may  appear  in  many  parts 
of  his  "  Book  of  Sacred  Poems;"  especially  in 
that  which  he  calls  •'  The  Odour."  In  which  he 
seems  to  rejoice  in  the  thoughts  of  that  word,  Je- 
sus, and  say,  tliat  tlie  adding  these  words,  my 
master,  to  it,  and  the  often  repetition  of  them 
seemed  to  perfume  his  mind,  and  leave  an  orient- 
al fragrancy  in  his  very  breath.  And  for  his  un- 
forced choice  to  serve  at  God's  altar,  he  seems  in 
another  place  in  his  poems  ("  The  Pearl,"  Mat. 
xiii.)  to  rejoice  and  say, —  "  ITo  know  the  ways 
of  learning;  knew  what  nature  does  willingly; 
and  wiiat,  when  it  is  forced  by  fire  ;  knew  the 
ways  of  honor,  and  when  glory  inclines  the  soul 
to  noble  expressions ;  knew  the  court ;  knew 
the  ways  of  pleasure,  of  love,  of  wit,  of  nuisic,  and 
upon  what  terms  he  declined  all  these  for  the  ser- 
vice of  his  master  Jesus  ;  "  and  then  conchules, 
saying, 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  197 

"  That  through  these  labyrinths,  not  my  grovelling" 

wit, 
But  thy  silk- twist,  let  down  from  heaven  to  me. 
Did  both  conduct,  and  teach  me,  how  by  it 

To  climb  to  thee." 

The  third  day  after  he  was  made  Rector  of 
Bemerton,  and  had  changed   his  sword   and  silk 
clothes    into   a   canonical    coat,  he    returned  so 
habited  with  his  friend  Mr.  Woodnot  to  Bainton, 
and  immediately  after  he  had  seen  and  saluted  his 
wife,  he  said  to  her,  —  "  You  are  now  a  minister's 
wife,  and  must  now  so  far   forget   your   father's 
house,  as  not  to  claim  a  precedence  of  any  of 
your  parishioners ;     for  you  are   to  know,  that  a 
priest's    wife    can    challenge    no   precedence    of 
place,  but  that  which  she  purchases  by  her  oblig- 
ing humility  ;  and  I  am  sure  places  so  purchased 
do  best  become  them.     And  let  me  tell  you,  that 
I  am  so  good  a  herald  as  to   assure  you  that  this 
is  truth."     And  she  was  so  meek  a  wife  as  to  as- 
sure him  it  was  no  vexing  news  to  her,  and  that 
he  should  see  her   observe  it  with  a  cheerful  wil- 
lingness.     And,  indeed,  her   unforced  humility, 
that  humility  that  was  in  her  so  original  as  to  be 
born  with  her,  made  her   so   happy  as  to   do  so  ; 
and  her  doing  so  begot  her   an  unfeigned  love 
and  a  serviceable  respect   from  all  that  conversed 
with  her  ;  and  this  love  followed  her  in  all  places 
as  inseparably   as  shadows  follow  substances  in 
sunshine. 


180  THE  LIFE  OF 

It  was  not  many  days  before  he  returned  back 
to  Bemerton,  to  view  the  church,  and  repair  the 
chancel  ;  and  indeed  to  rebuild  almost  three  parts 
of  his  house,  which  was  fallen  down,  or  decayed, 
by  reason  of  his  predecessor's  living  at  a  better 
parsonage-house,  namely,  at  Minal,  sixteen  or 
twenty  miles  from  this  place.  At  which  time  of 
Mr.  Herbert's  coming  alone  to  Bemerton,  there 
came  to  him  a  poor  old  woman,  with  an  intent  to 
acquaint  him  with  her  necessitous  condition,  as 
also  with  some  troubles  of  her  mind  ;  but  after 
she  had  spoken  some  few  words  to  him,  she  was 
surprised  with  a  fear,  and  that  begot  a  shortness  of 
breath,  so  that  her  spirits  and  speech  failed  her  ; 
which  he  perceiving,  did  so  compassionate  her, 
and  was  so  humble,  that  he  took  her  by  the  hand, 
and  said,  "  Speak,  good  mother,  be  not  afraid 
to  speak  to  me ;  for  I  am  a  man  that  will  hear 
you  with  patience  ;  and  will  relieve  your  necessi- 
ties too,  if  I  be  able  ;  and  this  I  will  do  willingly  ; 
and  therefore,  mother,  be  not  afraid  to  acquaint 
me  with  what  you  desire."  After  which  comfort- 
able speech,  he  again  took  her  by  the  hand,  made 
her  sit  down  by  him,  and  understanding  she  was 
of  his  parish,  he  told  her  "  he  would  be  acquaint- 
ed with  her,  and  take  her  into  his  care  :  "  and 
having  with  patience  heard  and  understood  her 
wants  (and  it  is  some  relief  for  a  ])oor  body  to  be 
but  heard  with   patience),   he,    like   a  Christian 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  181 

clergyman,  comforted  her  by  his  meek  behaviour 
and  counsel ;  but  because  that  cost  him  nothing, 
he  relieved  her  with  money  too,  and  so  sent  her 
home  with  a  cheerful  heart,  praising  God  and 
praying  for  him.  Thus  worthy  and  (like  David's 
blessed  man)  thus  lowly  was  Mr.  George  Herbert 
in  his  own  eyes,  and  thus  lovely  in  the  eyes  of 
others. 

At  his  return  that  night  to  his  wife  at  Sainton, 
he  gave  her  an  account  of  the  passages  betwixt 
him  and  the  poor  woman  ;  with  which  she  was  so 
affected  that  she  went  next  day  to  Salisbury,  and 
there  bought  a  pair  of  blankets,  and  sent  them  as 
a  token  of  her  love  to  the  poor  woman  ;  and  with 
them  a  message,  "  that  she  would  see  and  be  ac- 
quainted with  her  when  her  house  was  built  at 
Bemerton." 

There  be  many  such  passages  both  of  him 
and  his  wife,  of  which  some  few  will  be  related  ; 
but  I  shall  first  tell  that  he  hasted  to  get  the  par- 
ish church  repaired  ;  then  to  beautify  the  chapel 
(which  stands  near  his  house),  and  that  at  his  own 
great  charge.  He  then  proceeded  to  rebuild  the 
greatest  part  of  the  parsonage-house,  which  he 
did  also  very  completely,  and  at  his  own  charge  ; 
and  having  done  this  good  work,  he  caused  these 
verses  to  be  writ  upon,  or  engraven  in,  the  mantel 
of  the  chimney  in  his  hall : 


182  THE   LIFE  OF 

TO  MT  SUCCESSOR. 

"If  thou  chance  for  to  find 
A  new  house  to  thy  mind, 
And  built  without  thy  cost : 
Be  good  to  the  poor, 
As  God  gives  thee  store, 
And  then  my  labor  's  not  lost." 

We  will  now,  by  the  reader's  favor,  suppose 
him  fixed  at  Bemerton,  and  srrant  him  to  have 
seen  the  church  repaired,  and  tlie  chapel  belong- 
ing to  it  very  decently  adorned,  at  his  own  great 
charge  (which  is  a  real  truth)  ;  and  having  now 
fixed  him  there,  I  shall  proceed  to  give  an  account 
of  the  rest  of  his  behaviour  both  to  his  parishion- 
ers, and  those  many  others  that  knew  and  convers- 
ed with  him. 

Doubtless  Mr.  Herbert  had  considered  and 
given  rules  to  himself  for  his  Christian  carriage 
both  to  God  and  man,  before  he  entered  into  holy 
orders.  And  it  is  not  unlike,  but  that  he  renew- 
ed those  resolutions  at  his  proritration  before  the 
holy  altar,  at  his  induction  into  the  church  of  Be- 
merton ;  but  as  yet  he  was  but  a  deacon,  and 
therefore  longed  for  the  next  Ember-week,  that 
he  might  be  ordained  priest,  and  made  capable  of 
administerintr  botii  the  sacraments.  At  which 
time  the  Rev.  Dr.  Humphrey  Henchman,  now 
Lord  Bishop  of  London  (who  does  not  mention 
liim  but  witii  some  veneration  for  his  life  and  ex- 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  183 

cellent  learning),  tells  me,  "  he  laid  his  hand  on 
Mr.  Herbert's  head,  and  alas  !  within  less  than 
three  years,  lent  his  shoulder  to  carry  his  dear 
friend  to  his  grave." 

And  that  Mr.  Herbert  might  the  better  preserve 
those  holy  rules  which  such  a  priest,  as  he  intend- 
ed to  be,  oucrht  to  observe  ;  and  that  time  might 
not  insensibly  blot  them  out  of  his  memory,  but 
that  the  next  year  might  show  him  his  variations 
from  this  year's  resolutions ;  he,  therefore,  did  set 
down  his  rules,  then  resolved  upon,  in  that  order 
as  the  world  now  sees  them  printed  in  a  little 
book  called  "  The  Country  Parson  "  ;  in  which 
some  of  his  rules  are  : 

"  The  Parson's  knowledge. 
The  Parson  on  Sundays. 
The  Parson  praying. 
The  Parson  preaching. 
The  Parson's  charity. 
The  Parson  comforting  the  sick. 
The  Parson  arguing. 
The  Parson  condescending. 
The  Parson  in  his  journey. 
The  Parson  in  his  mirth. 
The  Parson  with  his  churchwardens. 
The  Parson  blessing  the  people." 

And  his  behaviour  toward  God  and  man  may  be 
said  to  be  a  practical  comment  on  these  and  the 
other  holy  rules  set  down  in  that  useful  book  ; 


184  THE    LIFE  OF 

a  book  so  full  of  plain,  prudent,  and  useful  rules, 
that  that  country  parson,  that  can  spare  twelve 
pence,  and  yet  wants  it,  is  scarce  excusable  ;  be- 
cause it  will  both  direct  him  what  he  ought  to  do, 
and  convince  him  for  not  having  done  it. 

At  the  death  of  Mr.  Herbert,  this  book  fell  into 
the  hands  of  his  friend  Mr.  Woodnot ;  and  he 
commended  it  into  the  trusty  hands  of  Mr.  Bar- 
nabas Oley,  who  published  it  with  a  most  consci- 
entious and  excellent  Preface  ;  from  which  I  have 
had  some  of  those  truths,  that  are  related  in  this 
Life  of  Mr.  Herbert.  The  text  for  his  first  ser- 
mon was  taken  out  of  Solomon's  Proverbs,  and 
the  words  were,  "  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  dili- 
gence." In  which  first  sermon  he  gave  his  par- 
ishioners many  necessary,  holy,  safe  rules  for  the 
discharge  of  a  good  conscience  both  to  God  and 
man ;  and  delivered  his  sermon  after  a  most 
florid  manner,  both  with  great  learning  and  elo- 
quence ;  but,  at  the  close  of  this  sermon,  told 
them,  "that  should  not  be  his  constant  way  of 
preaching ;  for  since  Almighty  God  does  not  in- 
tend to  lead  men  to  heaven  by  hard  questions,  he 
would  not  therefore  fill  their  heads  with  unneces- 
sary notions ;  but  that,  for  their  sakes,  his  lan- 
guage and  his  expressions  should  be  more  plain 
and  practical  in  his  future  sermons."  And  he 
then  made  it  his  humble  request,  **  that  they 
would  be  constant  to  the   afternoon's  service  and 


GEORGE  HERBERT,  185 

catechizing  ;  "  and  showed  them  convincing  rea- 
sons why  he  desired  it ;  and  his  obliging  exam- 
ple and  persuasions  brought  them  to  a  willing 
conformity  to  his  desires. 

The  texts  for  all  his  future  sermons  (which  God 
knows  were  not  many)  were  constantly  taken  out 
of  the  gospel  for  the  day  ;  and  he  did  as  constant- 
ly declare  why  the  Church  did  appoint  that  por- 
tion of  Scripture  to  be  that  day  read  ;  and  in  what 
manner  the  collect  for  every  Sunday  does  refer  to 
the  gospel  or  to  the  epistle  then  read  to  them ; 
and,  that  they  might  pray  with  understanding, 
he  did  usually  take  occasion  to  explain,  not  only 
the  collect  for  every  particular  Sunday,  but  the 
reasons  of  all  the  other  collects  and  responses  in 
our  church-service  ;  and  made  it  appear  to  them, 
that  the  whole  service  of  the  church  was  a  reason- 
able, and  therefore  an  acceptable  sacrifice  to 
God  :  as  namely,  that  we  begin  with  confession 
"  of  ourselves  to  be  vile,  miserable  sinners  ;  "  and 
that  we  begin  so,  because  till  we  have  confessed 
ourselves  to  be  such,  we  are  not  capable  of  that 
mercy  which  we  acknowledge  we  need  and  pray 
for  :  but  having,  in  the  prayer  of  our  Lord,  beg- 
ged pardon  for  those  sins  which  we  have  confess- 
ed ;  and  hoping  that,  as  the  priest  hath  declared 
our  absolution,  so  by  our  public  confession,  and 
real  repentance,  we  have  obtained  that  pardon  ; 
then  we  dare  and  do  proceed  to  beg  of  the  Lord, 


186  THE  LIFE  OF 

*'  to  open  our  lips,  that  our  mouths  may  show 
forth  liis  praise  :  "  for,  till  then,  we  are  neither 
able  nor  worthy  to  praise  him.  But  this  being 
supposed,  we  are  then  fit  to  say,  "  Glory  be  to 
the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  "  and  fit  to  proceed  to  a  further  service  of 
our  God,  in  the  collects,  and  psalms,  and  lauds, 
that  follow  in  the  service. 

And  as  to  these  psalms  and  lauds,  he  proceed- 
ed to  inform  them,  wliy  they  were  so  often,  and 
some  of  them  daily,  repeated  in  our  church-ser- 
vice ;  namely,  the  psalms  every  month,  because 
they  be  an  historical  and  thankful  repetition  of 
mercies  past ;  and  such  a  composition  of  prayers 
and  praises  as  ought  to  be  repeated  often  and 
publicly,  for  "  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  honor- 
ored  and  well  pleased."     This  for  the  psalms. 

And  for  the  livmns  and  lauds,  appointed  to  be 
daily  repeated  or  sung  after  the  first  and  second 
lessons  are  read  to  the  congregation  ;  he  pro- 
ceeded to  inform  them,  that  it  was  most  reasona- 
ble, afier  they  have  heard  the  will  and  goodness 
of  God  declared  or  j)reache(l  by  the  priest  in  his 
reading  the  two  chapters,  tliat  it  was  then  a  sea- 
sonable duty  to  rise  up  and  express  their  gratitude 
to  Almighty  God  for  those  his  mercies  to  them, 
and  to  all  mankind  ;  and  then  to  say  with  the 
blessed  Virgin,  that  their  "  souls  do  magnify  the 
Lord,  and  that  their  spirits  do  also  rejoice  in  God 


GEORGE   HERBERT.  187 

their  Saviour."  And  that  it  was  their  duty  also  to 
rejoice  with  Simeon  in  his  song,  and  say  with 
him,  that  their  "eyes  have"  also  *'  seen  their  sal- 
vation ; "  for  they  have  seen  that  salvation  which 
was  but  prophesied  till  his  time :  and  he  then 
broke  out  into  those  expressions  of  joy  that  he  did 
see  it ;  but  they  lived  to  see  it  daily  in  the  history 
of  it,  and,  therefore,  ought  daily  to  rejoice,  and 
daily  to  offer  up  their  sacrifices  of  praise  to  their 
God  for  that  particular  mercy,  — a  service  which 
is  now  the  constant  employment  of  that  blessed 
Virgin  and  Simeon,  and  all  those  blessed  saints 
that  are  possessed  of  heaven ;  and  where  they  are 
at  this  time  interchangeably  and  constantly  sing- 
ing, "  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God;  glory  be  to  God 
on  high,  and  on  earth  peace."  And  he  taught 
them,  that  to  do  this  was  an  acceptable  service  to 
God  ;  because  the  prophet  David  says,  in  his 
Psalms,  ''  He  that  praiseth  the  Lord,  honoreth 
him." 

He  made  them  to  understand  how  happy  they 
be  that  are  freed  from  the  incumbrances  of  that 
law  which  our  forefathers  groaned  under ;  name- 
ly, from  the  legal  sacrifices,  and  from  the  many 
ceremonies  of  the  Levitical  law  ;  freed  from  cir- 
cumcision, and  from  the  strict  observation  of  the 
Jewish  Sabbath,  and  the  like.  And  he  made 
them  know,  that  having  received  so  many  and  so 
great  blessings,   by  being  born  since  the  days  of 


188 


THE  LIFE  OF 


our  Saviour,  it  must  be  an  acceptable  sacrifice  to 
Almighty   God    for  them  to  acknowledge   those 
blessings  daily,   and  stand  up  and  worship,  and 
say  as  Zacharias  did,  ''  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  for  he  hath  (in  our  days)  visited  and  re- 
deemed his  people ;    and  (he  hath  in  our  days) 
remembered   and  showed   that  mercy  which,  by 
the  mouth  of  the  prophets,  he  promised   to  our 
forefathers;  and  this  he  hath   done  according  to 
his  holy  covenant   made   with  them."       And   he 
made  them  to  understand  that  we  live  to  see  and 
enjoy  the  benefit  of  it  in  his  birth,  in  his  life,  his 
passion,  his  resurrection,  and  ascension  into  heav- 
en, where  he  now  sits  sensible  of  all  our  tempta- 
tions and   infirmities ;     and  where   he   is   at  this 
present  time  making    intercession  for   us,  to  his, 
and  our  Father ;  and   therefore  they  ought   daily 
to  express  their  public  gratulations,  and  say  daily 
with  Zacharias,    "  Blessed  be   the   Lord  God   of 
Israel,  that  hath  thus  visited,  and  thus  redeemed 
his  people."     These  were  some  of  the  reasons  by 
which  Mr.   Herbert  instructed  his  con<iregation 
for  the  use  of  the  psalms  and  the  hymns  appoint- 
ed to  be  daily  sung  or  said  in  the  church-service. 
He  informed   them    also,    when    the   priest  did 
pray  only  for  tlie  congregation  and   not   for  him- 
self;  and    wIkii    they    did   only  pray   for  him,  as 
namely,  after  the  repetition  of  the  creed,  before 
he  proceeds  to  pray  the  Lord's  prayer,  or  any  of 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  189 

the  appointed  collects,  the  priest  is  directed  to 
kneel  down,  and  pray  for  them,  saying,  "  The 
Lord  be  with  you  ;  "  and  when  they  pray  for  him, 
saying,  "  And  with  thy  spirit ;  "  and  then  they 
join  together  in  the  following  collects  ;  and  he  as- 
sured them,  that  when  there  is  such  mutual  love, 
and  such  joint  prayers  offered  for  each  other,  then 
the  holy  angels  look  down  from  heaven,  and  are 
ready  to  carry  such  charitable  desires  to  God  Al- 
mighty, and  he  as  ready  to  receive  them  ;  and 
that  a  Christian  congregation  calling  thus  upon 
God,  with  one  heart  and  one  voice,  and  in  one 
reverent  and  humble  posture,  look  as  beautifully 
as  Jerusalem,  that  is  at  peace  with  itself 

He  instructed  them  also  why  the  prayer  of  our 
Lord  was  prayed  often  in  every  full  service  of  the 
church:  namely,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  several 
parts  of  that  service  ;  and  prayed  then,  not  only 
because  it  was  composed  and  commanded  by  our 
Jesus  that  made  it,  but  as  a  perfect  pattern  for 
our  less  perfect  forms  of  prayer,  and  therefore  fit- 
test to  sum  up  and  conclude  all  our  imperfect  pe- 
titions. 

He  instructed  them  also  that  as  by  the  second 
commandment  we  are  required  not  to  bow  down 
or  worship  an  idol  or  false  god  ;  so,  by  the  con- 
trary rule,  we  are  to  bow  dow'n  and  kneel,  or 
stand  up  and  worship  the  true  God.  And  he  in- 
structed them  why  the  Church  required  the  con- 


190  THE  LIFE  OF 

gregation  to  stand  up  at  the  repetition  of  the 
creeds  ;  namely,  because  they  did  thereby  declare 
both  their  obedience  to  the  Church,  and  an  as- 
sent to  that  faith  into  which  they  had  been  bap- 
tized. And  he  taught  them,  that  in  tliat  shorter 
creed  or  doxology  so  often  repeated  daily,  they 
also  stood  up  to  testify  their  belief  to  be,  that 
"  the  God  that  they  trusted  in  was  one  God  and 
three  persons,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  to  whom  they  and  the  priest  gave  glory." 
And  because  there  had  been  heretics  that  had  de- 
nied some  of  those  three  persons  to  be  God : 
therefore  the  congregation  stood  up  and  honored 
him,  by  confessing  and  saying,  ''  It  was  so  in  the 
beginning,  is  now  so,  and  shall  ever  be  so,  world 
without  end."  And  all  gave  their  assent  to  this 
belief,  by  standing  up  and  saying,  *'  Amen." 

He  instructed  them  also  what  benefit  they  had 
by  the  Church's  appointing  the  celebration  of 
holydays,  and  the  excellent  use  of  them  ;  namely, 
that  they  were  set  apart  for  particular  commem- 
orations of  particular  mercies  received  from  Al- 
mighty God ;  and  (as  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker  says) 
''  to  be  the  landmarks  to  distin«ruish  times  :  "  for 
by  them  we  are  taught  to  take  notice  how  time 
passes  by  us,  and  that  we  ought  not  to  let  the 
years  pass  without  a  celebration  of  praise  for  those 
mercies  which  those  days  give  us  occasion  to  re- 
member ;  and  therefore  they  were  to  note,  that 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  191 

the  year  is  appointed  to  begin  the  25th  day  of 
March,  a  day  in  which  we  commemorate  the  an- 
gel's appearing  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  with  the 
joyful  tidings  that  "  she  should  conceive  and  bare 
a  son,  that  should  be  the  Redeemer  of  mankind." 
And  she  did  so  forty  weeks  after  this  joyful  salu- 
tation; namely,  at  our  Christmas  ;  a  day  in  which 
we  commemorate  his  birth  with  joy  and  praise  : 
and  that  eight  days  after  this  happy  birth  we  cel- 
ebrate his  circumcision  ;  namely,  in  that  which 
we  call  New-year's  day.  And  that,  upon  that 
day  which  we  call  Twelfth-day,  we  commemorate 
the  manifestation  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Jesus  to  the  Gentiles  :  and  that  that  day  we  also 
celebrate  the  memory  of  his  goodness  in  sending 
a  star  to  guide  the  three  Wise  Men  from  the  East 
to  Bethlehem,  that  they  might  there  worship,  and 
present  him  with  their  oblations  of  gold,  frankin- 
cense, and  myrrh.  And  he  (Mr.  Herbert)  in- 
structed them,  that  Jesus  was  forty  days  after  his 
birth  presented  by  his  blessed  mother  in  the  Tem- 
ple ;  namely,  on  that  day  which  we  call,  *'  The 
Purification  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Saint  Mary." 
And  he  instructed  them,  that  by  the  Lent-fast  we 
imitate  and  commemorate  our  Saviour's  humilia- 
tion in  fasting  forty  days  ;  and  that  we  ought  to 
endeavour  to  be  like  him  in  purity.  And  that  on 
Good  Friday  we  commemorate  and  condole  his 
crucifixion ;  and  at  Easter,  commemorate  his  glo- 


19*2  THE  LIFE  OF 

rious  resurrection.  And  he  taught  them,  that 
after  Jesus  had  manifested  himself  to  his  disci- 
ples to  be  "  that  Christ  that  was  crucified,  dead 
and  buried ;  "  and  by  his  appearing  and  convers- 
ing with  his  disciples  for  the  space  of  forty  days 
after  his  resurrection,  he  then,  and  not  till  then, 
ascended  into  heaven  in  the  sight  of  those  disci- 
ples ;  namely,  on  that  day  which  we  call  the  As- 
cension, or  Holy  Thursday.  And  that  we  then 
celebrate  the  performance  of  the  promise  which 
he  made  to  his  disciples  at  or  before  his  ascea- 
sion  ;  namely,  "  That  though  he  left  them,  yet  he 
would  send  them  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  their  com- 
forter ;  "  and  that  he  did  so  on  that  day  which  the 
Church  calls  Whitsunday.  Thus  the  Church 
keeps  an  historical  and  circular  commemoration 
of  times  as  they  pass  by  us ;  of  such  times  as 
ought  to  incline  us  to  occasional  praises  for  the 
particular  blessings  which  we  do,  or  might  receive 
by  those  holy  commemorations. 

He  made  them  know  also  why  the  Church  hath 
appointed  Ember-weeks  :  and  to  know  tlie  reason 
why  the  Commandments,  and  the  Epistles  and 
Gospels  were  to  be  read  at  the  altar  or  commu- 
nion-table; why  the  priest  was  to  pray  the  litany 
kneeling  ;  and  why  to  pray  some  collects  standing ; 
and  he  gave  tliem  many  other  observations  fit  for 
his  plain  congregation,  but  not  fit  for  me  now  to 
mention,  for  I  nmst  set  limits  to  my  pen,  and  not 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  193 

make  that  a  treatise  which  I  intended  to  be  a 
much  shorter  account  than  I  have  made  it.  But 
I  have  done  when  I  have  told  the  reader  that  he 
was  constant  in  catechizing  every  Sunday  in  the 
afternoon,  and  that  his  catechizing  was  after  his 
second  lesson,  and  in  the  pulpit ;  and  that  he 
never  exceeded  his  half  hour,  and  was  always  so 
happy  as  to  have  an  obedient  and  full  congrega- 
tion. 

And  to  this  I  must  add,  that  if  he  were  at  any 
time  too  zealous  in  his  sermons,  it  was  in  reprov- 
ing the  indecencies  of  the  people's  behaviour  in 
the  time  of  divine  service  ;  and  of  those  ministers 
that  huddled  up  the  church  prayers  without  a  visi- 
ble reverence  and  affection  ;  namely,  such  as 
seemed  to  say  the  Lord's  Prayer  or  a  collect  in  a 
breath.  But  for  himself,  his  custom  was  to  stop 
betwixt  every  collect,  and  give  the  people  time  to 
consider  what  they  had  prayed,  and  to  force  their 
desires  affectionately  to  God  before  he  engaged 
them  into  new  petitions. 

And  by  this  account  of  his  diligence  to  make 
his  parishioners  understand  what  they  prayed,  and 
why  they  praised  and  adored  their  Creator,  I  hope 
I  shall  the  more  easily  obtain  the  reader's  belief 
to  the  following  account  of  Mr.  Herbert's  own 
practice,  which  was  to  appear  constantly  with  his 
wife  and  three  nieces  (the  daughters  of  a  deceas- 
ed sister)  and  his  whole   family  twice  every  day 

Vol.  II.  13 


194  THE  LIFE  OF 

at  the  church  prayers  in  the  chapel  which  does 
almost  join  to  his  parsonage  house.  And  for  the 
time  of  his  appearing,  it  was  strictly  at  the  canon- 
ical hours  of  ten  and  four ;  and  then  and  there 
he  lifted  up  pure  and  charitable  hands  to  God  in 
the  midst  of  the  congregation.  And  he  would 
joy  to  have  spent  that  time  in  that  place  where 
the  honor  of  his  Master  Jesus  dwelleth ;  and  there, 
by  that  inward  devotion  which  he  testified  con- 
stantly by  an  humble  behaviour  and  visible  ado- 
ration, he,  like  Joshua,  brought  not  only  *'  his 
own  household  thus  to  serve  the  Lord,"  but 
brought  most  of  his  parishioners  and  many  gen- 
tlemen in  the  neighbourhood,  constantly  to  make 
a  part  of  his  congregation  twice  a  day.  And  some 
of  the  meaner  sort  of  his  parish  did  so  love  and 
reverence  Mr.  Herbert,  that  they  would  let  their 
plough  rest  wlien  Mr.  Herbert's  Saint's-bell  rung 
to  prayers,  that  they  might  also  offer  their  devo- 
tions to  God  with  him ;  and  would  then  return 
back  to  their  plough.  And  his  most  holy  life 
was  such,  that  it  begot  such  reverence  to  God, 
and  to  him,  that  they  thought  themselves  the  hap- 
pier when  they  carried  Mr.  Herbert's  blessing 
back  with  them  to  their  labor.  Thus  powerful 
was  his  reason  and  example,  to  persuade  otlv- 
ers  to  a  practical  piety  and  devotion. 

And  his  constant  public  prayers  did  never  make 
him  to  neglect   his  own    |)rivate   devotions,  nox 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  195 

those  prayers  that  he  thought  himself  bound  to 
perform  with  his  family,  which  always  were  a  set 
form  and  not  long  ;  and  he  did  always  conclude 
them  with  that  collect  which  the  Church  hath  ap- 
pointed for  the  day  or  week.  Thus  he  made  every 
day's  sanctity  a  step  towards  that  kingdom  where 
impurity  cannot  enter. 

His  chiefest  recreation  was  music,  in  which 
heavenly  art  he  was  a  most  excellent  master,  and 
did  himself  compose  many  divine  hymns  and  an- 
thems, which  he  set  and  sung  to  his  lute  or  viol. 
And  though  he  was  a  lover  of  retiredness,  yet  his 
love  to  music  was  such,  that  he  went  usually  twice 
every  week,  on  certain  appointed  days,  to  the 
cathedral  church  in  Salisbury ;  and  at  his  return 
would  say,  "  that  his  time  spent  in  prayer,  and 
cathedral  music,  elevated  his  soul,  and  was  his 
heaven  upon  earth."  But  before  his  return  thence 
to  Bemerton,  he  would  usually  sing  and  play  his 
part  at  an  appointed  private  music  meeting;  and, 
to  justify  this  practice,  he  would  often  say,  "  Re- 
ligion does  not  banish  mirth,  but  only  moderates  , 
and  sets  rules  to  it." 

And  as  his  desire  to  enjoy  his  heaven  upon 
earth  drew  him  twice  every  week  to  Salisbury,  so 
his  walks  thither  were  the  occasion  of  many  hap- 
py accidents  to  others,  of  which  I  will  mention 
some  few. 


196  THE  LIFE  OF 

In  one  of  his  walks  to  Salisbury,  he  overtook  a 
gentleman  that  is  still  living  in  that  city,  and  in 
their  walk  together  Mr.  Herbert  took  a  fair  occa- 
sion to  talk  w  ith  him,  and  humbly  beg  to  be  ex- 
cused if  he  asked  him  some  account  of  his  faith  ; 
and  said,  "  I  do  this  the  rather,  because  though 
you  are  not  of  my  parish,  yet  I  receive  tithe  from 
you  by  the  hand  of  your  tenant ;  and,  sir,  I  am 
the  bolder  to  do  it,  because  I  know  there  be  some 
sermon-hearers  that  be  like  those  fishes  that  al- 
ways live  in  salt  water,  and  yet  are  always  fresh." 
After  which  expression  Mr.  Herbert  asked  him 
some  needful  questions,  and  having  received  his 
answer,  gave  him  such  rules  for  the  trial  of  his 
sincerity,  and  for  a  practical  piety,  and  in  so  lov- 
ing and  meek  a  manner,  that  the  gentleman  did 
so  fall  in  love  with  him  and  his  discourse,  that  he 
would  often  contrive  to  meet  him  in  his  walk  to 
Salisbury,  or  to  attend  him  back  to  Bemerton, 
and  still  mentions  the  name  of  Mr.  George  Her- 
bert with  veneration,  and  still  praiseth  God  for 
the  occasion  of  knowing  him. 

In  another  of  his  Salisbury  walks,  he  met  with 
a  neighbour  minister,  and  after  some  friendly  dis- 
course betwixt  them,  and  some  condolement  for 
the  decay  of  piety,  and  too  general  contempt  of 
the  clergy,  Mr.  Herbert  took  occasion  to  say, 
'*  One  cure  for  these  distempers,  would  be  for  the 
clergy  themselves  to  keep  the  Ember-weeks  strict- 


GEORGE    HERBERT.  197 

ly,  and  beg  of  their  parishioners  to  join  with 
them  in  fasting  and  prayers  for  a  more  religious 
clergy. 

"  And  another  cure  would  be  for  themselves  to 
restore  the  great  and  neglected  duty  of  catechiz- 
ing, on  which  the  salvation  of  so  many  of  the  poor 
and  ignorant  lay-people  does  depend  ;  but  princi- 
pally, that  the  clergy  themselves  would  be  sure  to 
live  unblamably ;  and  that  the  dignified  clergy 
especially,  which  preach  temperance,  would  avoid 
surfeiting,  and  take  all  occasions  to  express  a  visi- 
ble humility  and  charity  in  their  lives  :  for  this 
would  force  a  love,  and  an  imitation,  and  an  un- 
feigned reverence  from  all  that  knew  them  to  be 
such."  (And  for  proof  of  this,  we  need  no  other 
testimony  than  the  life  and  death  of  Dr.  Lake,  late 
Lord  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells.)  "  This,"  said 
Mr.  Herbert,  "  would  be  a  cure  for  the  wicked- 
ness and  growing  atheism  of  our  age.  And,  my 
dear  brother,  till  this  be  done  by  us,  and  done  in 
earnest,  let  no  man  expect  a  reformation  of  the 
manners  of  the  laity  ;  for  it  is  not  learning,  but 
this,  this  only,  that  must  do  it ;  and  till  then  the 
fault  must  lie  at  our  doors." 

In  another  walk  to  Salisbury,  he  saw  a  poor 
man  with  a  poorer  horse,  that  was  fallen  under 
his  load ;  they  were  both  in  distress,  and  needed 
present  help,  which  Mr.  Herbert  perceiving,  put 
off  his  canonical  coat,  and  helped  the  poor  man 


198  THE  LIFE   OF 

to  unload,  and  after,  to  load  his  horse.  The  poor 
man  blessed  him  for  it,  and  he  blessed  the  poor 
man  ;  and  was  so  like  the  good  Samaritan,  that 
he  gave  him  money  to  refresh  both  himself  and 
his  horse;  and  told  him,  "  that  if  he  loved  him- 
self, he  should  be  merciful  to  his  beast."  Thus 
he  left  the  poor  man,  and  at  his  coming  to  his 
musical  friends  at  Salisbury,  they  began  to  won- 
der that  Mr.  George  Herbert,  who  used  to  be  so 
trim  and  clean,  came  into  that  company  so  soiled 
and  discomposed ;  but  he  told  them  the  occasion. 
And  when  one  of  the  company  told  him  "  he  had 
disparaged  himself  by  so  dirty  an  employment ;  " 
his  answer  was,  "  that  the  thought  of  what  he  had 
done,  would  prove  music  to  him  at  midnight ;  and 
that  the  omission  of  it  would  have  upbraided  and 
made  discord  in  his  conscience,  whensoever  he 
should  pass  by  that  place ;  for  if  I  be  bound  to 
pray  for  all  that  be  in  distress,  I  am  sure  that  I 
am  bound,  so  far  as  it  is  in  my  power,  to  practise 
what  I  pray  for.  And  though  I  do  not  wish  for 
the  like  occasion  every  day,  yet  let  me  tell  you,  I 
would  not  willingly  pass  one  day  of  my  life,  with- 
out comforting  a  sad  soul,  or  showing  mercy  ;  and 
I  praise  God  for  this  occasion.  And  now  let  us 
une  our  instruments." 

Thus  as  our  blessed  Saviour,  after  his  resurrec- 
tion, did  take  occasion  to  interpret  the  Scripture 
to  Cleopas  and  that  other  disciple  which  he  met 


GEORGE    HERBERT.  199 

with,  and  accompanied,  in  their  journey  to  Em- 
maus  ;  so  Mr.  Herbert,  in  hispath  toward  heaven, 
did  daily  take  any  fair  occasion  to  instruct  the  ig- 
norant, or  comfort  any  that  were  in  affliction ; 
and  did  always  confirm  his  precepts,  by  showing 
humility  and  mercy,  and  ministering  grace  to  the 
hearers. 

And  he  was  most  happy  in  his  wife's  unforced 
compliance  with  his  acts  of  charity,  whom  he 
made  his  almoner,  and  paid  constantly  into  her 
hand  a  tenth  penny  of  what  money  he  received 
for  tithe,  and  gave  her  power  to  dispose  that  to 
the  poor  of  his  parish,  and  with  it  a  power  to  dis- 
pose a  tenth  part  of  the  corn  that  came  yearly  in- 
to his  barn  :  which  trust  she  did  most  faithfully 
perform,  and  would  often  offer  to  him  an  account 
of  her  stewardship,  and  as  often  beg  an  enlarge- 
ment of  his  bounty  ;  for  she  rejoiced  in  the  em- 
ployment :  and  this  was  usually  laid  out  by  her 
in  blankets  and  shoes  for  some  such  poor  people, 
as  she  knew  to  stand  in  most  need  of  them.  This 
as  to  her  charity.  And  for  his  own,  he  set  no 
limits  to  it ;  nor  did  ever  turn  his  face  from  any 
that  he  saw  in  want,  but  would  relieve  them,  es- 
pecially his  poor  neighbours  ;  to  the  meanest  of 
whose  houses  he  would  go  and  inform  himself  of 
their  wants,  and  relieve  them  cheerfully  if  they 
were  in  distress ;  and  would  always  praise  God, 
as  much  for  being  willing,  as  for  being  able  to  do 


200  THE    LIFE    OF 

it.  And  when  he  was  advised  by  a  friend  to  be 
more  frugal,  because  he  might  have  children,  his 
answer  was,  "  he  would  not  see  the  danger  of 
want  so  far  off;  but,  being  the  Scripture  does  so 
commend  charity,  as  to  tell  us,  that  charity  is  the 
top  of  Christian  virtues,  the  covering  of  sins,  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,  the  life  of  faith  ;  and  that 
charity  hath  a  promise  of  the  blessings  of  this  life, 
and  of  a  reward  in  that  life  which  is  to  come  ;  be- 
ing these  and  more  excellent  things  are  in  Scrip- 
ture spoken  of  thee,  O  Charity !  and  that  being 
all  my  tithes  and  church-dues  are  a  deodate  from 
thee,  O  my  God,  make  me,  O  my  God,  so  far  to 
trust  thy  promise,  as  to  return  them  back  to  thee ; 
and  by  thy  grace  I  will  do  so,  in  distributing  them 
to  any  of  thy  poor  members  that  are  in  distress, 
or  do  but  bear  the  image  of  Jesus,  my  Master. 
Sir,"  said  he  to  his  friend,  "  my  wife  hath  a  com- 
petent maintenance  secured  her  after  my  death, 
and  therefore  as  this  is  my  prayer,  so  this  my  res- 
olution shall,  by  God's  grace,  be  unalterable." 

This  may  be  some  account  of  the  excellencies 
of  the  active  part  of  his  life  ;  and  thus  he  contin- 
ued, till  a  consumption  so  weakened  him,  as  to 
confine  him  to  his  house,  or  to  the  chapel,  wliich 
does  almost  join  to  it :  in  wliich  he  continued  to 
read  prayers  constantly  twice  every  day,  though 
he  were  very  weak  :  in  one  of  which  times  of  his 
reading  his  wife   observed   him  to  read   in  pain, 


GEORGE    HERBERT.  201 

and  told  him  so,  and  that  it  wasted  his  spirits, 
and  weakened  him ;  and  he  confessed  it  did,  but 
said,  "  his  life  could  not  be  better  spent,  than  in 
the  service  of  his  Master  Jesus,  who  had  done 
and  suffered  so  much  for  him.  "  But,"  said  he,  "  I 
will  not  be  wilful ;  for  though  my  spirit  be  willing, 
yet  I  find  my  flesh  is  weak ;  and  therefore  Mr. 
Bostock  shall  be  appointed  to  read  prayers  for  me 
to-morrow,  and  I  will  now  be  only  a  hearer  of 
them,  till  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality." 
And  Mr.  Bostock  did  the  next  day  undertake  and 
continue  this  happy  employment,  till  Mr.  Her- 
bert's death.  This  Mr.  Bostock  was  a  learned 
and  virtuous  man,  an  old  friend  Mr.  Herbert's, 
and  then  his  curate  to  the  church  of  Fulston, 
which  is  a  mile  from  Bemerton,  to  which  church 
Bemerton  is  but  a  chapel  of  ease.  And  this  Mr. 
Bostock  did  also  constantly  supply  the  church 
service  for  Mr.  Herbert  in  that  chapel,  when  the 
music  meeting  at  Salisbury  caused  his  absence 
from  it. 

About  one  month  before  his  death,  his  friend 
Mr.  Ferrar  (for  an  account  of  whom  I  am  by 
promise  indebted  to  the  reader,  and  intend  to 
make  him  sudden  payment)  hearing  of  Mr.  Her- 
bert's sickness,  sent  Mr.  Edmund  Duncon  (who 
is  now  Rector  of  Fryer  Barnet,  in  the  county  of 
Middlesex)  from  his  house  of  Gidden  Hall,  which 
is  near  to  Huntingdon,  to  see  Mr.   Herbert,  and 


J 


202  THE  LIFE  OF 

to  assure  him,  he  wanted  not  his  daily  prayers  for 
his  recovery  ;  and  Mr.  Duncon  was  to  return  back 
to  Gidden,  with  an  account  of  Mr.  Herbert's  con- 
dition.    Mr.  Duncon  found  him  weak,  and  at  that 
time  lying  on  his  bed,  or  on  a  pallet  ;    but  at  his 
seeing  Mr.  Duncon,  he  raised  himself  vigorously, 
saluted  him,  and  with  some  earnestness  inquired 
the  health  of  his  brother   Ferrar  ;  of  which   Mr. 
Duncon  satisfied  him  ;    and   after  some  discourse 
of  Mr.  Ferrar's  holy  life,  and   the  manner  of  his 
constant  serving  God,   he   said  to  Mr.  Duncon, 
"  Sir,  I  see  by  your  habit  that  you   are  a  priest, 
and  I  desire   you   to  pray  with  me  ;  "     which  be- 
ing granted,  Mr.  Duncon  asked  him,  "  ^Vhat  pray- 
ers ? "     to    which    Mr.     Herbert's    answer    was, 
'' O,  sir,  the  prayers  of  my  mother,  the  Church  of 
England  ;  no  other  prayers   are   equal  to  them ! 
but  at  this  time,  I   beg  of  you   to  pray  only   the 
Litany,  for  I  am  weak  and  faint ;  "  and  Mr.  Dun- 
con did  so.     After   which,   and   some  other   dis- 
course of  Mr.  Ferrar,  Mrs.  Herbert  provided  Mr. 
Duncon  a  plain  supper   and  a  clean  lodging,  and 
he  betook   himself  to   rest.      This  Mr.  Duncon 
tells  mc  ;  and   tells  me,   that  at  his  first   view  of 
Mr.  Herbert  he  saw  majesty  and   humility  so  re- 
conciled in  his   looks   and   behaviour,  as  begot  in 
him  an  aw  ful  reverence  for  his  ))erson  ;  and  says, 
**  his  discourse  was  so   pious,   and   his  motion  so 
/Tcntle    and    meek,  that    after   almost    forty  years 
yet  they  rcmahi  still  fresh  in  his  memory." 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  203 

The  next  morning,  Mr.  Duncon  left  him,  and 
betook  himself  to  a  journey  to  Bath,  but  with  a 
promise  to  return  back  to  him  within  five  days, 
and  he  did  so ;  but  before  I  shall  say  any  thing 
of  what  discourse  then  fell  betwixt  them  two,  I 
will  pay  my  promised  account  of  Mr.  Ferrar. 

Mr.  Nicholas  Ferrar  (who  got  the  reputation  of 
being  called  "  St.  Nicholas "  at  the  age  of  six 
years)  was  born  in  London,  and  doubtless  had 
good  education  in  his  youth  ;  but  certainly  was 
at  an  early  age  made  Fellow  of  Clare  Hall  in 
Cambridge ;  where  he  continued  to  be  eminent 
for  his  piety,  temperance,  and  learning.  About 
the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  age  he  betook  himself 
to  travel ;  in  which  he  added  to  his  Latin  and 
Greek  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  languages 
spoken  in  the  western  parts  of  our  Christian  world, 
and  understood  well  the  principles  of  their  religion, 
and  of  their  manner,  and  the  reasons  of  their  wor- 
ship. In  this  his  travel  he  met  with  many  per- 
suasions to  come  into  a  communion  with  that 
church  which  calls  itself  Catholic  ;  but  he  return- 
ed from  his  travels  as  he  went,  eminent  for  his 
obedience  to  his  mother,  the  Church  of  England. 
In  his  absence  from  England,  Mr.  Ferrar's  father 
(who  was  a  merchant)  allowed  him  a  liberal 
maintenance ;  and,  not  long  after  his  return  into 
England,  Mr.  Ferrar  had,  by  the  death  of  his 
father,  or  an  elder  brother,  or  both,  an  estate  left 


204  THE  LIFE  OF 

him,  that  enabled  him  to  purchase  land  to  the 
value  of  four  or  five  hundred  pounds  a  year,  the 
greatest  part  of  which  land  was  at  Little  Gidden, 
four  or  six  miles  from  Huntingdon,  and  about 
eighteen  from  Cambridge  ;  which  place  he  chose 
for  the  privacy  of  it,  and  for  the  hall,  which  had 
the  parish-church  or  chapel  belonging  and  adjoin- 
ing near  to  it ;  for  Mr.  Ferrar  having  seen  the 
manners  and  vanities  of  the  world,  and  found  them 
to  be,  as  Mr.  Herbert  says,  "  a  nothing  between 
tw^o  dishes,"  did  so  contemn  it,  that  he  resolved 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  mortifications, 
and  in  devotion,  and  charity,  and  to  be  always 
prepared  for  death  ;  and  his  life  was  spent  thus : 

He  and  his  family,  which  were  like  a  little  col- 
lege, and  about  thirty  in  number,  did  most  of 
them  keep  Lent  and  all  Ember-weeks  strict- 
ly, both  in  fasting  and  using  all  those  mortifica- 
tions and  prayers  that  the  Church  hath  appointed 
to  be  then  used :  and  he  and  they  did  the  like 
constantly  on  Fridays,  and  on  the  vigils  or  eves 
appointed  to  be  fasted  before  the  Saints'-daysJ 
and  tliis  frugality  and  abstinence  turned  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  poor:  but  this  was  but  a  part  of  his 
charity  :  none  but  God  and  he  knew  the  rest. 

This  fiiniily,  whicli  I  have  said  to  be  in  num- 
ber about  thirty,  were  a  part  of  them  his  kindred, 
and  the  rest  chosen  to  be  of  a  temper  fit  to  be 
moulded  into  a  devout  life ;  and  all  of  them  were  for 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  205 

their  dispositions  serviceable  and  quiet,  and  hum- 
ble and  free  from  scandal.  Having  thus  fitted 
himself  for  his  family,  he  did,  about  the  year 
1630,  betake  himself  to  a  constant  and  methodi- 
cal service  of  God,  and  it  was  in  this  manner  :  — 
He,  being  accompanied  with  most  of  his  family, 
did  himself  use  to  read  the  common  prayers  (for 
he  was  a  deacon)  every  day,  at  the  appointed 
hours  of  ten  and  four,  in  the  parish  church,  which 
was  very  near  his  house,  and  which  he  had  both 
repaired  and  adorned ;  for  it  was  fallen  into  a 
great  ruin,  by  reason  of  a  depopulation  of  the  vil- 
lage, before  Mr.  Ferrar  bought  the  manor.  And 
he  did  also  constantly  read  the  matins  every  morn- 
ing at  the  hour  of  six,  either  in  the  church,  or  in 
an  oratory,  which  was  within  his  own  house  ;  and 
many  of  the  family  did  there  continue  with  him 
after  the  prayers  were  ended,  and  there  they  spent 
some  hours  in  singing  hymns  or  anthems,  some- 
times in  the  church,  and  often  to  an  organ  in  the 
oratory.  And  there  they  sometimes  betook  them- 
selves to  meditate,  or  to  pray  privately,  or  to  read 
a  part  of  the  New  Testament  to  themselves,  or  to 
continue  their  praying  or  reading  the  Psalms  ; 
and,  in  case  the  Psalms  were  not  always  read  in 
the  day,  then  Mr.  Ferrar,  and  others  of  the  con- 
gregation, did  at  night,  at  the  ring  of  a  watch- 
bell,  repair  to  the  church  or  oratory,  and  there 
betake  themselves  to  prayers    and  lauding  God, 


206 


THE   LIFE   OP 


and  reading  the  Psalms  that  had  not  been  read  in 
the  day  ;  and  when  these,  or  any  part  of  the  con« 
gregation,  grew  weary  or  faint,  tlie  watch-feell 
was  rung,  sometimes  before  and  sometimes  after 
midnight,  and  then  another  part  of  the  family 
rose,  and  maintained  the  watch,  sometimes  by 
praying  or  singing  lauds  to  God  or  reading  the 
Psalms :  and  when  after  some  hours  they  also 
grew  weary  or  faint,  then  they  rung  the  watch- 
bell,  and  were  also  relieved  by  some  of  the  former, 
or  by  a  new  part  of  the  society,  which  continued 
their  devotions  (as  hath  been  mentioned)  until 
morning.  And  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  in  this 
continued  serving  of  God,  the  Psalter,  or  whole 
Book  of  Psalms,  was  in  every  four  and  twenty 
hours  sung  or  read  over,  from  the  first  to  the  last 
verse ;  and  this  was  done  as  constantly  as  the 
sun  runs  his  circle  every  day  about  the  world, 
and  then  begins  again  the  same  instant  that  it 
ended. 

Thus  did  Mr.  Ferrar  and  his  happy  family 
serve  God  day  and  night: — tlius  did  tliey  al- 
ways behave  themselves,  as  in  his  presence.  And 
they  did  always  eat  and  drink  by  the  strictest 
rules  of  temperance ;  eat  and  drink  so  as  to  be 
ready  to  rise  at  midnight,  or  at  the  call  of  a  watch" 
bell,  and  perform  their  devotions  to  God.  And  it 
is  fit  to  tell  the  reader,  that  many  of  the  clergy 
that  were  more  inclined  to  practical  piety  and  de^ 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  207 

votion,  than  to  doubtful  and  needless  disputations, 
did  often  come  to  Gidden  Hall,  and  make  them- 
selves a  part  of  that  happy  society,  and  stay  a 
week  or  more,  and  then  join  with  Mr.  Ferrar  and 
the  family  in  these  devotions,  and  assist  and  ease 
him  or  them  in  their  watch  by  night.  And  these 
various  devotions  had  never  less  than  two  of  the 
domestic  family  in  the  night ;  and  the  watch  was 
always  kept  in  the  church  or  oratory,  unless  in 
extreme  cold  winter  nights,  and  then  it  was  main- 
tained in  a  parlour  which  had  a  fire  in  it,  and  the 
parlour  was  fitted  for  that  purpose.  And  this 
course  of  piety,  and  great  liberality  to  his  poor 
neighbours,  Mr.  Ferrar  maintained  till  his  death, 
which  was  in  the  year  1639. 

Mr.  Ferrar's  and  Mr.  Herbert's  devout  lives 
were  both  so  noted,  that  the  general  report  of  their 
sanctity  gave  them  occasion  to  renew  that  slight 
acquaintance  which  was  begun  at  their  being  con- 
temporaries in  Cambridge ;  and  this  new  holy 
friendship  was  long  maintained  without  any  inter- 
view, but  only  by  loving  and  endearing  letters. 
And  one  testimony  of  their  friendship  and  pious 
designs  may  appear  by  Mr.  Ferrar's  commending 
*^  The  Considerations  of  John  Valdesso"  (a  book 
which  he  had  met  with  in  his  travels,  and  trans- 
lated out  of  Spanish  into  English)  to  be  examined 
and  censured  by  Mr.  Herbert  before  it  was  made 
public;  which  excellent  book   Mr.   Herbert  did 


208 


THE  LIFE  OF 


read,  and  returned  back  with  many  marginal 
notes,  as  they  be  now  printed  with  it  ;  and  with 
them,  Mr.  Herbert's  affectionate  letter  to  Mr. 
Ferrar. 

This  John  Valdesso  was  a  Spaniard,  and  was 
for  his  learning  and  virtue  much  valued  and  loved 
by  the  great  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth,  whom 
Valdesso  had  followed  as  a  cavalier  all  the  time 
of  his  long  and  dangerous  wars ;  and  when  Val- 
desso grew  old,  and  grew  weary  both  of  war  and 
the  world,  he  took  his  fair  opportunity  to  declare 
to  the  Emperor,  that  his  resolution  was  to  decline 
his  Majesty's  service,  and  betake  himself  to  a  quiet 
and  contemplative  life,  because  there  ought  to  be 
a  vacancy  of  time  betwixt  fighting  and  dying. 
The  Emperor  had  himself  for  the  same,  or  other 
like  rea.sons,  put  on  the  same  resolution  :  but  God 
and  himself  did,  till  then,  only  know  them  ;  and 
he  did  therefore  desire  Valdesso  to  consider  well 
of  what  he  had  said,  and  to  keep  his  purpose  with- 
in his  own  breast,  till  they  two  might  have  a  sec- 
ond opportiuiity  of  a  friendly  discourse  ;  which 
Valdesso  prouiised  to  do. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Emperor  appoints  pri- 
vately a  dav  for  him  and  Valdesso  to  meet  aorain, 
and  after  a  ))ious  and  free  discourse,  they  both 
agreed  on  a  certain  day  to  receive  the  blessed  sa- 
crament publicly,  and  appointed  an  elocpient  and 
devout  friar  to  preach  a   sermon  of  contempt  of 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  209 

the  world,  and  of  the  happiness  and  benefit  of  a 
quiet  and  contemplative  life,  which  the  friar  did 
most  affectionately.  After  which  sermon,  the 
Emperor  took  occasion  to  declare  openly,  "  that 
the  preacher  had  begot  in  him  a  resolution  to  lay 
down  his  dignities,  and  to  forsake  the  world,  and 
betake  himself  to  a  monastical  life."  And  he 
pretended  he  had  persuaded  John  Valdesso  to  do 
the  like ;  but  this  is  most  certain,  that  after  the 
Emperor  had  called  his  son  Philip  out  of  England, 
and  resigned  to  him  all  his  kingdoms,  that  then 
the  Emperor  and  John  Valdesso  did  perform  their 
resolutions. 

This  account  of  John  Valdesso  I  received  from 
a  friend,  that  had  it  from  the  mouth  of  Mr.  Fer- 
rar  :  and  the  reader  may  note,  that  in  this  retire- 
ment John  Valdesso  wrote  his  "  Hundred  and 
Ten  Considerations,"  and  many  other  treatises  of 
worth,  which  want  a  second  Mr.  Ferrar  to  pro- 
cure and  translate  them. 

After  this  account  of  Mr.  Ferrar  and  John  Val- 
desso, I  proceed  to  my  account  of  Mr.  Herbert 
and  Mr.  Duncon,  who,  according  to  his  promise, 
returned  from  the  Bath  the  fifth  day,  and  then 
found  Mr.  Herbert  much  weaker  than  he  left  him  : 
and,  therefore,  their  discourse  could  not  be  long ; 
but  at  Mr.  Duncon's  parting  with  him,  Mr.  Her- 
bert spoke  to  this  purpose  :  ''  Sir,  I  pray  give  my 
brother  Ferrar  an  account  of  the  decaying  condi- 

Vol.  II.  14 


210  THE  LIFE  OF 

tion  of  my  body,  and  tell  him  I  beg  him  to  con- 
tinue his  daily  prayers  for  me  ;  and  let  him  know, 
that  I  have  considered,  that  God  only  is  what  he 
would  be ;  and  that  I  am,  by  his  grace,  become 
now  so  like  him,  as  to  be  pleased  with  what  pleas- 
eth  him ;  and  tell  him,  that  I  do  not  repine,  but 
am  pleased  with  my  want  of  health ;  and  tell  him 
my  heart  is  fixed  on  that  place  where  true  joy  is 
only  to  be  found ;  and  that  I  long  to  be  there, 
and  do  wait  for  my  appointed  change  with  hope 
and  patience."  Having  said  this,  he  did,  with  so 
sweet  a  humility  as  seemed  to  exalt  him,  bow 
down  to  Mr.  Duncon,  and,  with  a  thoughtful  and 
contented  look,  say  to  him,  "  Sir,  I  pray  deliver 
this  little  book  to  my  dear  brother  Ferrar,  and 
tell  him,  he  shall  find  in  it  a  picture  of  the  many 
spiritual  conflicts  that  have  passed  betwixt  God 
and  my  soul,  before  I  could  subject  mine  to  the 
will  of  Jesus,  my  Master  in  whose  service  I  have 
now  found  perfect  freedom  ;  desire  him  to  read 
it ;  and  then,  if  he  can  think  it  may  turn  to  the 
advantage  of  any  dejected  poor  soul,  let  it  be  made 
public  ;  if  not,  let  him  burn  it ;  for  I  and  it  are 
less  than  the  least  of  God's  mercies."  Thus 
meanly  did  this  humble  man  tliink  of  this  excel- 
lent book,  wliich  now  bears  the  name  of  "The 
Temple;  or,  Sacred  Poems  and  Private  Ejacula- 
tions "  ;  of  which  Mr.  Ferrar  would  say,  "  there 
was   in  it   the  picture  of  a  divine  soul   in  every 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  $J11 

page ;  and  that  the  whole  book  was  such  a  har- 
mony of  holy  passions,  as  would  enrich  the  world 
with  pleasure  and  piety."  And  it  appears  to 
have  done  so  ;  for  there  have  been  more  than 
twenty  thousand  of  them  sold  since  the  first  im- 
pression. 

And  this  ought  to  be  noted,  that  when  Mr. 
Ferrar  sent  this  book  to  Cambridge  to  be  licensed 
for  the  press,  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  by  no 
means  allow  the  two  so  much  noted  verses, 

"Religion  stands  a  tip-toe  in  our  land, 
Ready  to  pass  to  the  American  strand," 

to  be  printed  ;  and  Mr.  Ferrar  would  by  no  means 
allow  the  book  to  be  printed  and  want  them ;  but 
after  some  time,  and  some  arguments  for  and 
against  their  being  made  public,  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor said,  "  I  knew  Mr.  Herbert  well,  and  know 
that  he  had  many  heavenly  speculations,  and  was 
a  divine  poet ;  but  I  hope  the  world  will  not  take 
him  to  be  an  inspired  prophet,  and  therefore  I  li- 
cense the  whole  book,"  So  that  it  came  to  be 
printed  without  the  diminution  or  addition  of  a 
syllable,  since  it  was  delivered  into  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Duncon,  save  only  that  Mr.  Ferrar  hath  add- 
ed that  excellent  preface  that  is  printed  before  it. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Duncon's  leaving  Mr.  Herbert 
(which  was  about  three  weeks  before  his  death), 
his  old  and  dear  friend  Mr.  Wooodnot  came  from 


212  THE  LIFE  OP 

London  to  Bemerton,  and  never  left  him  till  he 
had  seen  him  draw  his  last  breath,  and  closed  his 
eyes  on  his  death-bed.  In  this  time  of  his  decay. 
he  was  often  visited  and  prayed  for  by  all  the 
clergy  that  lived  near  to  him,  especially  by  his 
friends  the  Bishop  and  Prebendaries  of  the  cathe- 
dral church  in  Salisbury  ;  but  by  none  more  de- 
voutly than  his  wife,  his  three  nieces  (then  a  part 
of  his  family),  and  Mr.  Woodnot,  who  were  the 
sad  witnesses  of  his  daily  decay;  to  whom  he 
would  often  speak  to  this  purpose  :  "  I  now  look 
back  upon  the  pleasures  of  my  life  past,  and  see 
the  content  I  have  taken  in  beauty,  in  wit,  and 
music,  and  pleasant  conversation,  are  now  all  past 
by  me  like  a  dream  or  as  a  shadow  that  returns 
not,  and  are  now  all  become  dead  to  me,  or  I  to 
them  ;  and  I  see  that  as  my  father  and  generation 
hath  done  before  me,  so  I  also  shall  now  sudden- 
ly (with  Job)  make  my  bed  also  in  the  dark  ;  and 
I  praise  God  I  am  prepared  for  it ;  and  I  praise 
him,  that  I  am  not  to  learn  patience,  now  I  stand 
in  such  need  of  it  ;  and  that  I  have  practised  mor- 
tification, and  endeavoured  to  die  daily,  that  I 
might  not  die  eternally  ;  and  my  hope  is,  that  I 
shall  shortly  leave  this  valley  of  tears,  and  be  free 
from  all  fevers  and  pain ;  and,  which  will  be  a 
more  happy  condition,  I  shall  be  free  from  sin, 
and  all  the  temptations  and  anxieties  that  attend 
it ;  and  this  being  past,  I  shall  dwell  in  the  New 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  213 

Jerusalem  ;  dwell  there  with  men  made  perfect ; 
dwell  where  these  eyes  shall  see  my  Master  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  ;  and  with  him  see  my  dear  mother, 
and  all  my  relations  and  friends.  But  I  must 
die  or  not  come  to  that  happy  place  :  and  this  is 
my  content,  that  I  am  going  daily  towards  it ; 
and  that  every  day  which  I  have  lived  hath  taken 
a  part  of  my  appointed  time  from  me  ;  and  that  I 
shall  live  the  less  time,  for  having  lived  this  and 
the  day  past." — These,  and  the  like  expres- 
sions, which  he  uttered  often,  may  be  said  to  be 
his  enjoyment  of  heaven  before  he  enjoyed  it. 
The  Sunday  before  his  death,  he  rose  suddenly 
from  his  bed  or  couch,  called  for  one  of  his  instru- 
ments, took  it  into  his  hand,  and  said, 

"  My  God,  my  God, 
My  music  shall  find  thee, 

And  every  string 
Shall  have  his  attribute  to  sing." 

And  having  tuned  it,  he  played  and  sung  : 

"  The  Sundays  of  man's  life, 
Threaded  together  on  time's  string, 
Make  bracelets  to  adorn  the  wife 
Of  the  eternal,  glorious  King  : 
On  Sundays  heaven's  door  stands  ope  ; 
Blessings  are  plentiful  and  rife, 

More  plentiful  than  hope.  " 


214  THE    LIFE    OF 

Thus  he  sung  on  earth  such  hymns  and  anthems 
as  the  angels,  and  he,  and  Mr.  Ferrar,  now  sing 
in  heaven. 

Thus  he  continued  meditating,  and  praying, 
and  rejoicing,  till  the  day  of  his  death  ;  and  on 
that  day  said  to  Mr.  Woodnot,  *'  My  dear  friend, 
I  am  sorry  I  have  nothing  to  present  to  my  mer- 
ciful God  but  sin  and  misery ;  but  the  first  is  par- 
doned ;  and  a  few  hours  will  now  put  a  period  to 
the  latter  ;  for  I  shall  suddenly  go  hence  and  be 
no  more  seen."  Upon  which  expression,  Mr. 
Woodnot  took  occasion  to  remember  him  of  the 
reedifying  Layton  Church,  and  his  many  acts  of 
mercy  ;  to  which  he  made  answer,  saying,  "  They 
be  good  works,  if  they  be  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  not  otherwise."  After  this  dis- 
course he  became  more  restless,  and  his  soul  seem- 
ed to  be  weary  of  her  earthly  tabernacle  ;  and 
this  uneasiness  became  so  visible,  that  his  wife, 
his  three  nieces,  and  Mr.  Woodnot  stood  con- 
stantly about  his  bed,  beholding  him  with  sorrow 
and  an  unwillingness  to  lose  the  siglit  of  him, 
whom  they  could  not  hope  to  see  much  longer. 
As  they  stood  tlius  beholding  him,  his  wife  ob- 
served him  to  breathe  faintly,  and  with  much 
trouble ;  and  o))served  him  to  fall  into  a  sudden 
agony,  which  so  surprised  her,  that  she  fell  into  a 
sudden  passion,  and  rtMjuired  of  him  to  know  how 
he  did;  to  wiiich  his  answer  was,   "that  he  had 


GEORGE  HERBERT.  215 

passed  a  conflict  with  his  last  enemy,  and  had 
overcome  him  by  the  merits  of  his  Master,  Jesus." 
After  which  answer  he  looked  up  and  saw  his 
wife  and  nieces  weeping  to  an  extremity,  and 
charged  them,  "  if  they  loved  him,  to  withdraw 
into  the  next  room,  and  there  pray  every  one 
alone  for  him ;  for  nothing  but  their  lamentations 
could  make  his  death  uncomfortable."  To  which 
request  their  sighs  and  tears  would  not  suffer 
them  to  make  any  reply,  but  they  yielded  him  a 
sad  obedience,  leaving  only  with  him  Mr.  Wood- 
not  and  Mr.  Bostock.  Immediately  after  they 
had  left  him,  he  said  to  Mr.  Bostock,  ^'Pray,  sir, 
open  that  door,  then  look  into  that  cabinet,  in 
which  you  may  easily  find  my  last  will,  and  give 
it  into  my  hand  :  "  which  being  done,  Mr.  Her- 
bert delivered  it  into  the  hand  of  Mr.  Woodnot, 
and  said,  ''  My  old  friend,  I  here  deliver  you  my 
last  will,  in  which  you  will  find  that  I  have  made 
you  my  sole  executor  for  the  good  of  my  wife  and 
nieces ;  and  I  desire  you  to  show  kindness  to 
them,  as  they  shall  need  it.  I  do  not  desire  you 
to  be  just,  for  I  know  you  will  be  so  for  your  own 
sake ;  but  I  charge  you,  by  the  religion  of  our 
friendship,  to  be  careful  of  them."  And  having 
obtained  Mr.  Woodnot's  promise  to  be  so,  he  said, 
*'  I  am  now  ready  to  die."  After  which  words 
he  said,  "  Lord,  forsake  me  not,  now  my  strength 
faileth  me  ;  but  grant  me  mercy  for  the  merits  of 


216  THE  LIFE  OF 

my  Jesus.  And  now,  Lord,  —  Lord,  now  receive 
my  soul."  And  with  those  words  he  breathed 
forth  his  divine  soul,  without  any  apparent  disturb- 
ance, Mr.  Woodnot  and  Mr.  Bostock  attending 
his  last  breath,  and  closing  his  eyes. 

Thus  he  lived,  and  thus  he  died  like  a  saint, 
unspotted  of  the  world,  full  of  alms-deeds,  full  of 
humility,  and  all  the  examples  of  a  virtuous  life; 
which  I  cannot  conclude  better,  than  with  this 
borrowed  observation  : 

" All  must  to  their  cold  graves  ; 

But  the  religious  actions  of  the  just 

Smell  sweet  in  death,  and  blossom  in  the  dust." 

Mr.  George  Herbert's  have  done  so  to  this,  and 
will  doubtless  do  so  to  succeeding  generations. 
I  have  but  this  to  say  more  of  him,  that  if  Andrew 
Melvin  died  before  him,  then  George  Herbert 
died  without  an  enemy.  I  wish  (if  God  shall  be 
so  pleased)  that  I  may  be  so  happy  as  to  die  like 
him.  IZ.   WA. 


There  is  a  debt  justly  due  to  the  memory  of 
Mr.  Herbert's  virtuous  wife ;  a  part  of  which  I 
will  endeavour  to  pay,  by  a  very  short  account  of 
the  remainder  of  her  life,  which  shall  follow. 


tSEORGE  HERBERT.  217 

She  continued  his  disconsolate  widow  about  six 
years,  bemoaning  herself  and  complaining  that 
she  had  lost  the  delight  of  her  eyes ;  but  more 
that  she  had  lost  the  spiritual  guide  for  her  poor 
soul ;  and  would  often  say,  *'  O  that  I  had,  like 
holy  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  treasured  up  all 
his  sayings  in  my  heart ;  but  since  I  have  not 
been  able  to  do  that,  I  will  labor  to  live  like  him, 
that  where  he  now  is,  I  may  be  also."  And  she 
would  often  say  (as  the  prophet  David  for  his  son 
Absalom)  ''  O  that  I  had  died  for  him  !  "  Thus 
she  continued  mourning,  till  time  and  conversa- 
tion had  so  moderated  her  sorrows,  that  she  be- 
came the  happy  wife  of  Sir  Robert  Cook,  of  High- 
nam,  in  the  county  of  Gloucester,  Knight.  And 
though  he  put  a  high  value  on  the  excellent  ac- 
complishments of  her  mind  and  body,  and  was  so 
like  Mr.  Herbert,  as  not  to  govern  like  a  master, 
but  as  an  affectionate  husband  ;  yet  she  would, 
even  to  him,  often  take  occasion  to  mention  the 
name  of  Mr.  George  Herbert,  and  say,  "  that 
name  must  live  in  her  memory,  till  she  put  off 
mortality."  By  Sir  Robert,  she  had  only  one 
child,  a  daughter,  whose  parts  and  plentiful  estate 
make  her  happy  in  this  world,  and  her  well  using 
of  them  gives  a  fair  testimony  that  she  will  be  so 
in  that  which  is  to  come. 

Mrs.  Herbert  was  the  wife  of  Sir  Robert  eight 
years,  and  lived  his  widow  about  fifteen  ;  all  which 


218     THE  LIFE  OF  GEORGE  HERBERT.  t 

time  she  took  a  pleasure  in  mentioning  and  com- 
mending the  excellencies  of  Mr.  George  Herbert. 
She  died  in  the  year  1663,  and  lies  buried  at 
Highnam  :  Mr.  Herbert  in  his  own  church,  under 
the  altar,  and  covered  with  a  grave-stone  without  * 


any  mscription. 


i 


ly  iiiscripiiuii.  M 

This  Lady  Cook   had  preserved  many  of  Mr.  j 

Herbert's  private  writings,  which  she  intended  to 
make  public,  but  they  and  Highnam  House  were 
burnt  together,  by  the  late  rebels,  and  so  lost  to 
posterity.  I.  W. 


